Gods & Monsters
by Laurie Archer
Summary: (Beginning S9) Sam and Dean discover a case that they have to see in order to believe. A giant snake that Sam thinks could be the Norse Serpent on the hunt for what he believes could be the serpent's sister, Hel. Not sure if that theory is correct, they bring her home to keep an eye on her, but when the brothers are away, she snoops and finds a chained Crowley, piquing his interest
1. Chapter 1

**Alright, so a new story. This will sort of be an AU (more or less) taking place in the beginning of Season 9, but I must warn you that once my OC takes the stage, she'll steal the show. Um, the story, I mean.**

 **I hope you enjoy because I really loved writing this story. I have to say it's my favorite of all my stories.**

 **Gods and Monsters**

 **Ignorance is Bliss**

It had started occurring more often and no one knew where it came from. Word of mouth was all they had to go by and they were growing suspicious that there was little truth to this legend. It just began one day for unknown reasons and as days went by, it seemed to have become desperate, moving from town to town.

Looking further into it, the first time it appeared, not many noticed it on the east coast. They only noticed after it began leaving some bodies in its tracks. At first, they were just innocent victims with no connections, but then, once having analyzed the victims, a pattern was revealed. Whatever this thing was, it was going after young women who were either new to the town or had no ties to it, such as a family. And the fact that this creature was on the constant move suggested it was chasing someone. It seemed like the only fitting theory.

However, it was only now killing, as if growing frustrated and they knew this because each scene was bloodier than the last. What was it looking for? Did it even know who to find? That would explain the deaths; frustration that they weren't the one.

Once that was put into perspective, they had to narrow things down to better know what they were about to hunt.

He closed the laptop and pushed it away, sighing exhaustedly and rubbing the fatigue from his face. If only it was that easy to wipe away all the years of bullshit.

"I've got nothing, Sam." Dean said and looked at his brother who continued staring at the screen of his laptop. "It's a dead end." He added and Sam met his eyes, not wanting to believe that.

There was nothing but silence filling the study room at their bunker, their Men of Letters home that they discovered after their grandfather told them they were Legacies, not just the run of the mill grungy hunters. They sat at the table in the center of the room where books were spread out, opened to possible clues to their case.

"What's the one thing all the testimonies have in common?" Sam asked and Dean stared at him as if he was too exhausted to think. "They all reported it to be like a large serpent." He said and Dean just looked away, rubbing the back of his neck.

"There's no monster in the archives that matches that description, unless it's an anaconda out on a rampage." Dean replied and Sam stared at his brother with an intense defiance to surrender.

"Maybe it's not a typical monster, but a mythological one." He said and Dean looked at him with an arched eyebrow.

"Mythology, Sam?" he asked and his brother nodded slightly. "If this is a myth kind of monster, which I don't think it is, do I have to remind you that not even the dragons looked like dragons?" He added, trying to shoot down this idea.

"It's all we have." Sam said and turned his laptop around to show Dean. "In the Norse Mythology, there is a serpent-like creature." He began and Dean sighed, as if he'd rather not listen, but was too exhausted to argue. "Jormungand," Sam began.

"Wait, what?" Dean asked, unable to understand what his brother said or grasp the fact that he said it without any difficulty. Dean would rather keep it simple, like Your; being the only syllable he caught.

"Jormungand, he's the serpent that coils around the world with his tail in his mouth, waiting for the end of time and the Doom of the Gods, named Ragnarok." Sam said and Dean stared at him oddly.

"Right." Was all he said, but his expression told Sam that he couldn't relate that to their case. He didn't believe there was a connection. All the Mythological deities and creatures they had faced and still, a part of Dean would rather just ignore the fact that they existed. It was much simpler when the world was threatened by monsters like vampires and ghosts. The angels and demons were trouble enough. "Assuming this is that Your-Mun-Gand serpent, what does he want?" he asked.

Sam disregarded his brother's lack of knowledge and interest in this myth, but he couldn't argue that the questions still had no answer. If it was Jormungand, he couldn't understand why it was killing young women that were outsiders of these towns.

"Do you have anything else on this Norse snake?" Dean asked, not that he was really convinced. It was more out of curiosity.

Sam looked back at his laptop, reading the rest of the information.

"Jormungand is a child of Loki and the giantess Angrboda. His brother is Fenrir, the wolf that was also a creature of Doom, and his sister Hel, the ruler of netherworld; half woman and half corpse." Sam said and Dean just grinned in disgust.

They had known Loki, or at least the Archangel that pretended to be him. They had first known him as the Trickster that caused them quite a bit of misery. Then they knew him to be Gabriel, the Archangel that left Heaven and changed his appearances so he could become Loki amongst the pagan Gods. Either way, the dude was a pain in the ass and now, apparently, so was his supposed kid.

Dean tried to imagine Gabriel having three ugly children like these and it ended up clashing, it was that ridiculous. That's why he chose to ignore the mythological side of the horror they've had to face since their mother's death; having known Gabriel and hearing this myth just didn't make sense, especially if this serpent really does look like a serpent.

"Odin wanted to capture these three, since Fenrir was said to be the bane of his existence. He threw Jormungand into the ocean and Hel into the netherworld as he chained Fenrir." Sam said, ignoring Dean's facial expression of disgust and boredom. "If he's killing young women, clearly chasing one, then I'd say our best bet is that he's trying to find his sister, Hel." Sam said and only then did he get Dean's attention.

"If she's ruler of the land of the dead, assuming you're correct, then why isn't he looking there?" Dean asked and Sam nodded, finding that to be a very good question. However, the answer was simple.

"She's probably not there. For all we know, her kingdom could be Crowley's now, since Christians named Hell after her. She might be hiding on Earth." Sam said and the brothers remained silent considering this idea. It does make sense, despite the fact that mythology was hard to swallow when it becomes something other than just fantastic stories people once told themselves to explain the mysteries of the world.

"So, where would it be now?" Dean asked and Sam looked at a map of the country, tracking the serpent's movements. He was able to pinpoint the next location, if he was correct, and placed his finger on the map.

"Maple City, Michigan. It follows the line of his recent attacks." He replied and when he glanced at Dean, he could tell that his brother wasn't as intrigued as he should be, despite the fact that they might be onto something. Then, it dawned on him just why Dean wasn't invested in this hunt. It wasn't just because his brother chose to forget their experiences with pagan Gods, but his determination and stubbornness to see their mission with Crowley through.

He wanted to talk it out, but that's one thing Dean doesn't do when something bothers him. He shuts down and refuses to do anything else. As the years have gone by, it's only gotten worst; that shutting down and not talking about things. Sam didn't like to say it, but at times like that, Dean was just like their father.

Crowley tortured Kevin, their friend who was the Prophet, for a translation for the Demon tablet. He wanted to open the Gates of Hell and stopped at nothing to get Kevin to do his bidding. He even killed Kevin's girlfriend.

He couldn't get his hands on the Demon tablet, but when he learnt there was an angel tablet, he began searching for it. Crowley had become a bigger than usual pain in their ass because the brothers were trying to close the Gates of Hell. He even killed those they had saved in the past, trying to get them to surrender. They refused. If they could close Hell, then they would.

The last trial was to cure a demon and Crowley had been nominated. They were turning him human with the ritual from the Men of Letters.

Everything was going good, but then someone stepped in to give them more problems.

The last Knight of Hell, Abaddon arrived, trying to put an end to all of them. Her goal was to become the Queen of Hell. Sam got her to flee, after dousing her with Holy Fire, but as Crowley was becoming human, Dean convinced him to stop. If he did all three trials, he'd kill himself. Dean couldn't lose his little brother.

And then, to top it all off, angels fell from the sky as Castiel used the Angel tablet to close Heaven, being misled by Metatron and becoming human. A new problem.

They hadn't been able to get a hold of Castiel since then.

Kevin, on the other hand, was out, taking a long break despite the objections they had. After Crowley mentioned that his mother was still alive, he left, probably gone looking for her.

The Winchesters kept Crowley locked up in their dungeon, trapped within a Devil's Trap and chained in a chair with Devil's Traps carved into those very chains and handcuffs. Dean knew they could get information out of him about the Angel tablet among other things, but since they kept the King of Hell as their captive, he's been snarky and annoying. They even offered to give him to Abaddon, but Crowley still refused to talk.

With all the shit that happened, Sam could understand just wanting to shut down. By lives depended on them and shutting down wasn't an option.

Dean hadn't left the bunker since they stuck Crowley in that dungeon and, by the looks of it, he didn't want to leave even with a possible hunt. Stubborn just like their father.

"Crowley won't be going anywhere and you need to take a break." Sam said and Dean looked at him with that stone cold expression. He wasn't the only one shutting down, refusing to talk about things.

Dean could tell that Sam still wasn't back to normal, although he tried to hide it. Those trials took a lot out of him. Heck, they nearly killed him. But now, he could see that his brother was exhausted. Sam desperately wanted to get back on the road, do anything but sit around in misery. Dean wanted to argue that Sam's condition could get worst, but he knew stubbornness ran through both of them. It was a Winchester thing.

He gave a sort of nod and got up, walking off to his room; might as well shut up his little brother who was the Queen of Nagging.

Sam closed his laptop and went to his room to pack. He glanced at his bed and it seemed tempting to just fall and sleep, but he felt that staying awake was what he had to do. He didn't want Dean to see how those trials took a pretty big chunk out of him, even if they didn't complete them.

He grabbed whatever clothing he saw first and knew that as soon as they were ready, they'd be leaving for Maple City, Michigan. Moving forward and going on a hunt would bring, not only him, but Dean back to normal, step by step.


	2. Chapter 2

**Higher Education**

When they arrived in the community of Maple City, the first thing they did was get a motel room. They settled in and quickly checked the news for anything that may have happened during their ride over. So far the only thing was a really freaked out college girl, claiming to have been followed by a monster.

When the reporters asked for details, she was unable to give them any. She hadn't seen it, but she heard it hissing. When it had moved, it seemed big and she ran, ran back to her place.

The brothers knew that their search began at the campus of Northwestern Michigan College which was fifteen miles from Maple City center. If this serpent thing was chasing after an out-of-town girl, then this place would be filled with them; young women coming from different towns all packed into one location. And if Sam was right, the sister, Hel, would be there. It seemed odd, but he was willing to bet that she might be trying to get away from her serpent brother.

However, Dean hadn't mentioned anything, not even how ridiculous he thought this theory to be. He could argue that Hel just wanted to live the normal college experience; booze and parties, but everything just seemed stupid. He wasn't helping Sam think of other theories. What was the point? Not only was it stupid, but they had bigger fish to fry.

They quickly exchanged their shirts and jeans for their monkey suits, as Dean called them. They prepared their badges and their weapons. As soon as they were ready, they got back on the road and grabbed something to eat on the run, of course.

Sam had called ahead and the dean of the college was willing to meet them. Dean Brenner was also going to get the student from the news, Stacy Jolys, to talk to them. He was eager to help, not only so it would appear as he wanted to keep the students safe, but to protect the reputation of the institution. The last thing the college wanted was to scare everyone away.

The impala roared as it entered the parking lot of the college. There were some students ready for class that turned to look. Dean parked his baby and as the brothers got out, all eyes were on them. They were expecting cell phone to begin recording (because kids these days have to record everything from their lunch to their thoughts), but the students just kept on walking by, like they expected to be the ones filmed. The campus was done being in the news and just wanted to be left alone.

"They seem nervous to me." Dean said as he turned and looked over the hood of the car at Sam.

"Small enough place. Whatever we're chasing has them on edge and now that the reporters are done getting their news, they're looking for normalcy." Sam replied and Dean just looked out at all the students.

"I'm still looking for normalcy, but that doesn't exist in our line of work." He replied and Sam gave a short nod of agreement.

They walked inside and used the signs on the walls to find the dean's office. When they found it, there was a secretary in between them and the dean's door. She was a middle-aged thin framed woman that smiled as they walked in. Her smile brightened as she looked at Dean and she even fixed up her hair. Sam tried not to smirk.

"We're agents Leary and Taggart." Sam said, reaching for his badge that was in his inner breast pocket, but the secretary waved him and picked up the phone.

"Dean Brenner, agents Leary and Taggart are here." She said and smiled up at Dean. "He'll see you, agent…" She said, waiting to get Dean's name.

"Taggart." He replied, not liking this scenario. The secretary smiled and even got up, opening the door for them, still smiling at Dean.

"Thanks." He said and she let out a soft chuckle, like she was flattered. When they walked into the dean's office, a well dressed middle-aged man got up from behind his desk and shook their hands with a weak smile. There were paintings on his walls as well as achievements, but no pictures of his family. A typical businessman where money was all that mattered.

"Hello agents." Dean Brenner said and sat back down in his chair after his guests.

"You said we could speak to Stacy Jolys." Sam said and the dean nodded his head.

"She's at her sorority house, coping from the ordeal. She's agreed to meet you there." He said and Dean quickly glanced at his brother, trying not to smirk; a house full of young women looking for a good time, tempting. "How can I help you?" the dean asked.

"Has there been more sightings?" Dean asked, the smirk now gone as he dove into business, getting Dean Brenner's attention.

"Not to my knowledge." He replied. "I have rumors passing around, from a giant Slytherin snake to big foot." He added as he shook his head. Dean fought the urge to ask if that was a Harry Potter reference and proceeded.

"According to the papers, Jolys claimed she didn't see a snake, just heard a hiss." Dean said, quick to point out the snake detail and the lack of it in her story.

"She confessed later than she saw its tail before it hid in the bushes. She didn't want to say that to the reporters; afraid they'd call her crazy." Dean Brenner replied, his eyes suggesting there was something else he wasn't telling.

"What else?" Sam asked, recognizing that secretive look. The dean was reluctant, but soon gave in and revealed what he was holding back. A decently honest business man, now that was something different.

"The students have been following these stories about large snakes being spotted, killing young women. When Stacy reported something, they started talking about it being a snake. At first, I thought she bought into the hype, but her sisters said she was bewildered when the student body began calling it a large snake, as if they know what she saw before she admitted it." The dean said and looked down at his desk. "I'm confident she did see a snake, but maybe not a monster, like the rumours." He concluded and looked back up at them. There was a small amount of silence before he gave a small smile. "But if you're here, this can't be someone's lost pet." He said and Sam gave a small empathetic smile.

"Any surveillance videos that have captured this snake?" Sam asked and the dean nodded his head slightly.

"We haven't seen it, but there's one angle where you can see Stacy reacting to something." Dean Brenner replied. "My secretary will get you in touch with our security team." He added and Sam nodded in thanks.

"Has there been other occurrences?" Dean asked and Brenner shook his head with a smile on his face.

"No," he replied, losing the smile. "The occasional drugs between hands, but nothing worth noting." He added and then gave a small grin. "Don't suppose you'd throw in a bonus and take care of the drugs." He concluded and the brothers got up, thanking him for his time and just walked out. Sam gave the dean a fake smile to compensate for his brother's abrupt departure.

The secretary called the security team and told Dean to turn down the corridor to their right; that one of the security guards would bring them to their office and show them the video. She smiled at Dean as he walked out and once they were out of her sight, Dean shot a glare of annoyance at his brother.

"Shut up." He said and, just as she said, a security guard met them, young and tall with wavy hair trying to escape from under his cap. He seemed to like his job, a lot, since there were lots of young women around, some probably into guys in uniform.

"Agents Leary and Taggart." He said, extending his hand to them. "I'm Gary, mostly the night security guard, but Dean Brenner notified me you'd have questions." He added and they shook his hand, only because it seemed mandatory to be convincingly professional.

"We're going to need to see that video." Dean said and Gary just nodded his head, leading them towards the security office.

"I pulled it up for you." Gary said and when they walked into the office, he sat in the chair and got it to play. "Okay, so this is Stacy walking across the lawn over here." He said, pointing to someone walking from the back of the institution, through the track field, over to the fence with bushes hiding most of the view. "She walks over here and then," he says, pausing to let the video speak for itself as the woman stopped and jumped, freaking out, and running the opposite way, back to the back door.

"Is there a way to see what scared her?" Sam asked Gary, but the guy shook his head.

"No. We've been trying to get the green peeps to trim those bushes, but it's been a struggle." He replied and the brothers exchanged glances, frowning.

"How's that a struggle?" Dean asked. "Pick up cutters and cut." He added and Gary turned in his chair, looking at Dean with illuminated eyes.

"I know, right? That's what I said." he replied. "But they're all like 'No, it upsets the funkshway'. Whatever the Hell that means." He added and turned back to the video.

"You mean feng shui." Sam corrected. "The philosophical system of harmonizing with surrounding environments." He added and Gary looked up at him, somewhat looking confused.

"He's an encyclopedia." Dean said and quickly got back to the video, ignoring his brother's offended expression. "There's no other camera in that area?" he asked and Gary shook his head.

"No. We looked at all other videos and that's all we got." He replied, but Sam frowned as he looked at the computer monitors.

"Can we take a look?" he asked and Gary nodded, about to show them how it all works, but Sam waved him off.

"Encyclopedia and tech manual." Dean whispers to Gary, closing the door behind him.

The brothers had full access to the cameras, confident that their trained eyes would see something that the security guards had missed.

They watched as much of the videos on campus as they could, mostly all around the time Stacy encountered their monster. When Dean became restless after about an hour, Sam suggest he go talk to her at the sonority house and as Dean was leaving, he couldn't resist throwing a little humor his brother's way.

"Remember, you're an FBI agent, not a Strip-O-Gram." Sam said, smirking as he could imagine his brother glaring at the back of his head.

Dean left the office, ignoring his little pain-in-the-ass brother, and made his way over to the sonority house. It wasn't hard to miss, it being the only big, slightly pink, house on the street not far from the college. He walked down the street for about fifteen minutes, and as he began up the steps, some girls opened the door, looking at him, waiting. Apparently, they didn't expect a good looking FBI agent to be in charge of this case.

"Are you the FBI agent that wants to talk to Stacy?" one brunette asked, thin framed glasses making her look like the sexy librarian type. Dean walked up the final step and nodded.

"Agent Taggart." He replied and the girls all smiled at him, one blond in the back was twirling her finger in her hair, nearly biting her lower lip.

"Lucky Stacy." Another blond said before she walked away.

"Wait, you're not some stripper, right?" the one beside the brunette finally asked, since she hadn't stopped staring at Dean. He tried not to smirk as he nodded his head, taking out his badge, which was ironically fake. "So not a stripper?" she asked and Dean shook his head.

"Stop." The brunette whispered to the one beside her, staring her down, making her join the others.

"He's so fucking hot." She said in the background to the other girls, who giggled and, as Dean glanced at the window beside the door, they had to see for themselves while trying to be concealed behind the lace curtain.

"I warn you, it's like walking into a den of lionesses." The brunette said, which got Dean to crack a smile on his lips, the girls nearly swooning as they peeped through the window curtains. The brunette tried to stifle a laugh as she could hear them. "Come on in. I'll take you up to her room." She said and Dean walked in, looking around, seeing young women in the room to his left, all staring at him. Didn't they get a lot of guys coming around? What kind of sonority was this?

Oh, please not young women pledging to remain virgins until marriage.

As the brunette lead him up the stairs, she twisted her upper body to glance at him over her shoulder.

"I'm Rose." She said and Dean smiled. "Sorry about all the drama. You get tired of frat boys after a while, you know?" she added and Dean only nodded. She let out a laugh as she realized what she said, he couldn't relate. "Well, anyway, I'm the Head Girl here, so I appreciate an FBI agent taking our welfare into account." She said, flashing him a warm smile.

"It's my job." Dean replied, getting a little grin from Rose, and they walked down the short corridor on the second floor, reaching the last door. Rose knocked and called for Stacy. They could hear a response and Rose smiled at Dean before she went back downstairs.

The door opened and a girl with shoulder length dirty blond hair looked up at Dean with creamy brown eyes. She wrapped a wool sweater around her. She wore sweat pants and, as comfortably dressed as she was, she looked like she hadn't slept well in days.

"I'm agent Taggart." Dean said and he was about to show his badge, but she stepped aside and waved him in. She closed the door behind him and sat comfortably on her bed, letting Dean pull her chair away from her desk to sit in front of her. "Tell me what happened." he said and she nodded, looking down at her hands.

"Everyone believes me, but I know they don't truly believe me. It's like saying I saw Big Foot and everyone wants to be the one to snap a picture of it." Stacy said as Dean listened attentively. "I didn't really tell everyone the complete truth because who believes stuff like that?" she asked and looked at Dean.

"Me." he replied. "I've seen and heard all sorts of things." He added, letting her know that he would believe her, even if he didn't really believe this case was about a large snake trying to find his Norse Goddess sister. It just seemed weird, but he was willing to take small steps to the truth, even if that meant this girl saw a big Harry Potter snake.

Stacy relaxed, seeming relieved, and nodded.

"I was walking out the back door. I had a late class close to the back door and I didn't want to go the long way. So, I cut through the track field and was going to hop over the fence, walk through the back lane that I'd often used to get to the house." Stacy said, staying calm, until she began to remember what had happened next. Her eyes widened and her button lip quivered. "I heard something in the bushes by the fence. I tried not to look, thinking maybe one of the guys was trying to scare me. The guys can be so immature and, as a house, we were tired of it. I thought maybe they were trying to get back at us.

"I started walking faster and then I heard a hiss that made me stop." Stacy said, the panic going into her voice now, slowing going into her arms where she started to tremble. "It was like a rattle snake and I'm deathly afraid of snakes." She said and Dean tried not to point out her choice of words. "I turned and looked at the bushes. If it wasn't for the spot lights by the door, I wouldn't have seen that large face, piercing eyes and its split tongue flicking in my direction. It was so huge and at the end of the bushes, I saw the tail, rattling, but its tail wasn't like a rattle snake.

"I wasn't going to study its features, before you ask for more details. I wanted to run, but I thought for sure, it's going to slither faster than I can run and it's going to kill me. I didn't want to see those fangs. I ran and screamed. I didn't look until I was in the back lane. The snake didn't follow me and I was glad of it." Stacy said, trembling as she recalled the snake and the how the fear washed over her like a tidal wave, forcing her into fight or flight mode.

There was no doubt that Dean couldn't believe what she had seen, even if he didn't have proof.

"Has anyone else seen this snake?" Dean asked her and she shrugged her shoulders.

"Not seriously. Some people say they did, but I would know if they did." Stacy said, looking into Dean's green eyes, taking comfort in someone believing her, listening to her. "They'd be afraid." She concluded and Dean nodded.

"Thanks for your time." Dean said, getting up, and Stacy murmured him to wait.

"There's one person you might want to talk to." Stacy said, getting Dean's attention before he left. "Rowan McKinley. She lives in the dorms on the other side of the college." She added and Dean nodded in appreciation as he felt his phone buzz in his pocket.

As he walked downstairs, he checked his phone. There was a small text from Sam, telling him to come back when he was done. It didn't sound too urgent.

Dean reached the last step and the girls stopped talking and looked at him. Rose popped out and stood a foot away.

"How is she?" Rose asked and Dean gave a small smile.

"Shaken, but she'll be fine." Dean said and glanced at the girls watching him. He looked back at Rose with her sexy librarian glasses and stepped closer, being professional, of course. "Give me a call if there's anything else." he added and Rose smiled, taking his card, meeting his eyes in a flirtatious way.

"Thanks." She said and watched as he gave a smile to the girls, and walked out.


	3. Chapter 3

**Person of Interest**

Dean opened the door to the security office where he left Sam to look over the cameras. He had said to come by as soon as he was done at the sonority house. He had expected Sam to have found something, but so far all they had was what Gary, the night security guard, had shown them.

"We don't have proof that this snake is using the campus as its hunting grounds." Sam said as he returned to the footage of Stacy freaking out, as if something would show itself if he stared long enough at it.

"Nothing pops out of the bushes? It couldn't have stayed there after Stacy ran." Dean said and Sam glanced at him with his eyebrows knit together.

"There's nothing else on the tape, but maybe we should look at the fence." Sam said and Dean fought against rolling his eyes. Now his brother wanted to play Nancy Drew. Freaking perfect.

"I spoke to Stacy." Dean said, driving the subject around the stupid fence. "She looked right at it. But she told me that we should talk with a Rowan McKinley up at the dorms." Dean said, sharing a possible lead to what might be a dead end case without proof.

"Did she say why?" Sam asked.

"No." Dean replied and he could see the wheels turning in Sam's head.

"Okay, but we have to check the fence first." Sam said and Dean decided to give him this one. But if his little brother suggests they go checking all the bushes and fences on campus, he's on his own.

They walk out of the college, going through the same back doors Stacy had used that night. They turned to the fence and the bushes, realizing the shrubs were much bigger than what was shown on the video. A large snake could have easily turned and gone back where it had come without being spotted on camera.

They walked over to the fence, jumped over it with a small start, and once on the other side, Sam's jaw dropped, glancing at his brother who looked on in slight disbelief. There was a large hole in the fence, like something torn through it; like the metal wired fence was made out of paper. There were some chinks of the fence poking out and pointing inwards, making it difficult to tell on which side something broke out.

Sam crunched low to analyze the fence and touched the chinks that pointing out. The tips were charred, like something burnt the metal away. He glanced up at his skeptical brother and then at the street behind them, and the back lane that lead to the sonority just a couple of houses down.

"And this Rowan McKinley lives on the other side?" Sam asked, looking at the dorms on the opposite side.

"Let's see how she fits into all of this." Dean said and they hopped back over the fence and made their way over to the dorms.

As they got to the building, it was busy; students gathered just in front of the door, smoking and talking. As they walked up, the students stopped and eyed them suspiciously. Dean took out his badge and flashed it, and the crowd began walking away. Sam arched his eyebrow, knowing that wasn't drugs they were smoking, but it might have been Dean's not-taking-your-shit approach and body language that encourage them to leave. By now, he's learnt to just accept it.

They walked into the building and there was a small front desk off to the side before the stairs and the elevators. It was a young woman, brunette and glasses, but not like the one at the sonority.

"Hi?" she asked, smiling at them.

"We're agents Leary and Taggart." Sam said as they showed their badges. "We'd like to talk to Rowan McKinley." He added and the girl just frowned at them.

"Is this about that snake business?" she asked and Dean just looked at her, like he didn't have much patience and rather not waste it on her. "You know that's hocus, right?" she added and Dean exhaled, which she noticed.

"Where can we find Rowan?" Dean asked and she exhaled too, like he was being rude and she didn't approve.

"Dorm 306." She replied and watched them enter the staircase, as some students came out of the elevator, but then decided to discuss the fact that they may or may not have forgotten something upstairs. Apparently the sight of FBI agents scared everyone.

The brothers climbed three flights of stairs just to avoid students unable to make up their mind about getting off an elevator. They looked down the hallway of dorm rooms and found 306. Sam knocked and silence answered them, but then they could hear footsteps. The door opened and a pretty face looked at them sternly with her dark eyes and dark hair. She was wearing hipster jeans and a small white t-shirt that made Dean momentarily forget the brunette Head Girl at the sonority house.

"Rowan McKinley?" Sam asked and the girl looked over her shoulder. Another girl stepped into view, shoulder length golden brown hair, equally pretty with hazel eyes dressed in black yoga pants and a light purple spaghetti strap.

"Yes?" the girl asked while her roommate stepped out, ignoring Dean completely. Suddenly he remembered the Head Girl at the sonority house.

"We're agents Leary and Taggart." Sam said and the girl looked at their badges, then up at them.

"What's this about?" she asked.

"Know Stacy Jolys?" Dean asked her and she gave a slight nod.

"She was in the news. Everyone knows who she is, by now." Rowan replied. "Is this about what she saw?" she asked, glancing from one brother to the other for some clarity.

"She said we should talk to you." Dean replied and she seemed stunned.

"Why?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest, but it just emphasized her assets, which distracted Dean.

"We were hoping you'd tell us." Sam said and she looked at him, letting out a small laugh.

"Codeword for you didn't ask and she didn't tell." Rowan said and rolled her eyes. "Look, I don't know anything. Maybe Stacy meant my roommate Veronica." She added and Dean frowned at her, not catching on to this game of tag. Why were college girls so complicated?

"No, I was there. She said you." He said and Rowan shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know what to tell you." Rowan said, glancing at Sam as if asking for help with dealing with his insisting partner.

"Why do you say Stacy meant Veronica?" Sam asked and she gave a slight nod, as if in thanks.

"She made fun of Stacy. Like, no one knew it was Veronica. She was just posting papers around campus making the snake story Maple City's urban legend. It wasn't until Veronica and some guys did a sort of re-enactment that Stacy found out Veronica was behind it." Rowan said, but Dean failed to see why Stacy had mentioned Rowan in the first place if this prank was Veronica's idea.

"You sure it wasn't you?" Dean asked and Rowan looked insulted.

"No. And I don't know what Stacy's trying to say, but I had nothing to do with it. Veronica hates sonorities. If Stacy has a problem with me, it's probably because I thought of joining the sonority, but decided not to. She thinks Veronica and I hate them." Rowan replied with a bit of anger brewing in her hazel eyes.

"Why didn't you join the sonority?" Sam asked and she was clearly irritated with all the questions.

"Because I don't need a sisterhood; I'm fine on my own. One friend is all I need. I don't need a house full of hormones to get up in my business and ask to borrow my shit." She replied, the expression in her eyes telling Sam that her reasoning behind her decision was none of their business, but she just wanted them gone.

"Thank for your time." Sam said and before they could say anything else, Rowan stepped back and slammed the door as her response. Dean glanced at his brother and raised his eyebrow as if to say it wasn't so much the sonority that was full of hormones.

They passed Veronica on their way down the stairs and she stopped, which got them to do the same, out of curiosity. Why not? Maybe they'd get some more information, since they had nothing.

"Stacy Jolys sent you over here?" she asked and Sam nodded. She let out a laugh and rolled her eyes. "Her phobia of snakes is what started all of this. She sees one little snake and suddenly, it becomes a blood thirsty monster ten times its normal size." She added and looked at the brothers like they were stupid to believe the little sonority drama queen.

"Any reason why Stacy would suggest we talk to Rowan?" Dean asked and she glanced at him with an eyebrow arched.

"Didn't you talk to Rowan?" she asked and before they could answer, she puffed. "Look, those girls want all pretty faces to live under that roof. The minute one says _No thank you_ , because they're independent women, they act like someone blew fire up their skirts." Veronica added, crossing her arms over her chest. "Rowan is cool. You know what you hear in the word _sonority?_ The word _snore_. It's boring and stupid. Rowan walks into a room and owns it. She's strong, confident and fearless, which makes little miss Scared-y-Cat Jolys envious. The guys like Rowan and since the sonority decided the guys were beneath them, they've all come crawling to us." Veronica concluded and headed back upstairs with a swing in her walk, like she was proud of everything she had said.

As Sam and Dean left the dorms, they weren't sure what this little trip was about. Did Rowan have useful information to this giant snake on campus or was that just girl drama?

"We should see if there are other cameras in the area. Something must have captured the snake entering Maple City, heading to the college." Sam said and Dean nodded his head.

"Something other than girls pointing the finger at another girl." Dean said, shaking his head. Right now, he needed a little evidence, not just a hole in a fence or she said and she said, to convince him.


	4. Chapter 4

**I Spy**

The brothers walked around the campus, looking at the buildings surrounding it. Some were small businesses and others were homes. They eyed everything carefully, trying to spot a camera that could be pointed at the campus.

Sam caught sight of something in the corner of the porch on this older home deserving of a face lift. As he looked at the home, there were potted hanging plants near the front steps and one rocking chair by the door. He guessed an elderly person lived there.

"I'm going to check this one out." Sam said, pointing at the camera in the corner. "You wanna keep searching?" he asked Dean as he glanced at him.

"Sure." He said and continued. Sam wasn't stupid. He knew his brother adamantly thought this wasn't a case they needed to solve. If he had it his own way, he'd go back to the Men of Letters' bunker to deal with Crowley, to find a way to open Heaven. And then the next thing on Dean's agenda is to deal with Abaddon. What is it going to take? For the snake to come out of hiding and attack Dean?

Sam rolled his shoulders back, shaking off the frustration. He walked up the front steps and then knocked on the door. He could hear a dog bark and some shuffled footsteps. When the door opened, the dog greeted him first.

With teeth.

"Down Buddy." The old man said, looking like a retired professor, to the boxer. When he met Sam's gaze, he gave a friendly smile. The boxer backed off, but stayed by his owner. "What can I do for you?" the man asked.

Sam flipped out his fake FBI badge and pointed to the camera at the corner of the porch.

"Is that angled at the college campus? Specifically the back door?" Sam said, not even bothering to beat around the bush about it. The old man glanced at the camera and then grinned at Sam.

"No, just my porch. I had a few kids that would knock at my door and leave, or vandalize my pots." He said, looking at the handing pots of plants.

"Thank you. Sorry to bother you." Sam said and before he could turn around, the old man spoke.

"Is this about that snake thing?" he asked and Sam nodded his head.

"Have you seen it?" Sam asked. The old man shook his head, but there was something in his eyes that Sam found interesting. He knew something. "Is there something you want to tell me?" Sam asked and the man hesitated, but then nodded.

"Might as well come in." he said, turning back into his house. The boxer sat still, watching Sam as he walking inside. The dog even followed them to the living room that was nearly covered in books. Didn't the man own bookshelves? There were books on the sofa, on the tables by the chair, even on the old box of a television.

The old man grabbed something that was on one of his piles of books, giving it to Sam. It was a Polaroid photo. The guy still had a Polaroid camera? How did he live with the new technology supervising his porch?

"Buddy was barking one night at the window. I couldn't see what he was barking at, but then I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. I grabbed my camera." He said and Sam was speechless as he looked down at this Polaroid of a very large snake just outside of the house, on the sidewalk, staying mostly in the shadows where the street lamps couldn't highlight its presence.

All Sam could really see was the middle of its long body, but that was enough to tell him this really was a large monster.

"Could I keep this?" Sam asked and the old man looked hesitant. "Never mind. I'll take a picture with my phone." Sam said and the man seemed content. He pulled out his phone and took as good a picture as he could to show Dean.

The man took the Polaroid and placed it back on his pile of books.

"If you don't mind me asking, are you trying to research about this snake?" Sam asked and the old man turned, looking hesitant once again.

"I'm a retired scientist. Researching habits don't die easily." He said and Sam gave a slight smile.

"Thank you, Dr." Sam said and the old man smiled.

"Dr. Manderly." He said and Sam extended his hand, taking this as a formal introduction. "Thank you Agent…" he added and Sam's smile grew.

"Agent Leary." He said and the old man shook his hand firmly.

"So this old scientist isn't off his meds?" Dr. Manderly asked with a slight grin.

"You'd be surprised at the things I've seen." Sam said, wholeheartedly honest. The old man smiled and thanked him for coming by, then gave him his contact card, saying he'd be more than welcome to share his research findings if he isn't as crazy as he thought he was.

Sam walked down the sidewalk, trying to catch up to his brother.

He eventually caught up to Dean who apparently got sidetracked with an elderly woman asking for help in getting her cat out of the tree in front of her house. Sam tried not to grin at the image of Dean getting a cat out of a tree. Last time he was in contact with a cat, he yelled like a little girl when it jumped out of a locker, affected by ghost sickness that made him paranoid and jumpy, to say the least.

"What did you find?" Dean asked and Sam showed him the picture he took of the Polaroid. "So?" he asked.

" _So?_ " Sam said. "The guy saw this thing. It's huge and it's real." He added and Dean didn't look convinced.

"I was about to check out the convenience store just behind the campus." Dean said, disregarding the picture, which frustrated Sam. Besides that, which he tried really hard to brush off, Sam frowned, not having really seen a convenience store, but as Dean pointed out, it looked like some bungalow in a "L" shaped format with a very high ceiling. The only thing giving it away was the sign out front.

When the brothers stepped in, it was indeed a convenience store in a cottage type setting.

The young man behind the counter immediately took interest in them and waved them over. He looked like a college student that decided a higher education was too high to reach; much like the cat in that woman's tree. Although, Dean said he used a ladder to get it down.

"Hey, Feds?" he asked with a grin. As on cue, both brothers brought out their badges and the young guy smiled. "Cool. What can I do to help?" he asked and they approached the counter.

"Does the surveillance video cover the back door of the college?" Dean asked and the young guy kept smiling, like his day just got a Hell of a lot more interesting; awesome tales to tell his friends.

"Totally." He replied and waved them to the "Employees Only" door behind the counter. They followed him in and it wasn't what they expected. It was a short corridor with two doors on both sides. One was an employee lounge and the other had televisions showing different angles of the store, inside and out. "We had lots of thieves and break-ins." He added and crossed his arms over his chest, like he personally installed the cameras.

"We'd like to rewind to a specific night." Sam said and the guy grinned as he nodded. He quickly began rewinding one of the camera angles, the one pointed directly at the back door. It took some time, in which the guy thought he could talk about one of the times someone charged in wearing a mask and waving around a gun. He was so scared, he nearly pissed himself, until a customer attacked from behind, grabbing the gun. The hero looked confused and when he pulled the trigger, it sprayed water. It was hilarious.

Sam and Dean exchanged glances, both feeling that time could not go faster and that the story was not that hilarious.

"Oh, here." The guy said and pointed at the screen. "What is that?" he asked.

Sam and Dean leaned in to have a closer look. There was something moving along the fence. There was a brief moment of illumination of some kind, and then the object moved, getting into the bushes. There was a person that stepped out and a moment later, ran into the darkness. They expected to see the monster follow who they knew that to be as Stacy, but instead, it immediately began slithering up the wall, trying to stay in the shadows and out of the camera's view.

It was unbelievable. Not only was it smart, but it was very big. They weren't sure just how long this thing measured, but it could compete with an anaconda to say the least. If Dean still didn't think this was a case they needed to solve, he probably changed his mind now.

"Is it that snake thing?" the guy asked, and suddenly it was like he was the first to discover it. "Oh, man. I thought that was just an urban legend!" he said, nearly grabbing Dean's suit. He frowned and stepped back, looking at Sam as if to ask if they're done; he'd really like to get away from this guy.

"Thanks for your help." Sam said and they left before the guy could get any ideas of selling T-shirts that read _I saw the Maple City Snake Monster and survived_.

When they walked out of the convenience store, Dean hadn't said a word. Sam eyed him suspiciously, knowing his brother was rethinking the case. When his brother's silence continued, his curiosity couldn't take it anymore. He had to prompt his brother into talking, like it or not.

"Believe me now?" Sam asked and Dean cast him an annoyed glare.

"Don't start." He replied, the annoyed rough tone in his of voice. "We still don't know how Rowan McKinley fits into all of this." He added and Sam tried not to smirk. So not only was he convinced, put he was determined to solve the puzzle that is the girls on campus. He ought to know his brother would take special interest in that subject.

"And Stacy never told you why you should talk to Rowan." Sam said, stating rather than asking. "She obviously thought you'd discover something." He added and Dean raised his eyebrows for a brief second.

"Yeah, these girls are hot." He replied and Sam tired to ignore that typical Dean Winchester comment.

"So let's talk to the sonority." Sam said and could have sworn his brother had a little smile on his face. While, at least he was taking an interest in the case rather than wanting to go extract information from a very obdurate demon.


	5. Chapter 5

**Unexpected**

They first went to the college cafeteria to grab something to eat, and then walked to the sonority house. Working on empty stomachs was never a good idea, considering one doesn't know what could happen afterwards. One could get hit over the head, tied up for hours, and have no strength to fight because they had nothing to eat.

A pitiful excuse, really, but they didn't want to talk to attractive girls and have their stomachs growl in protest.

As they walked up the steps, Dean was about to knock, but the door was pulled open. Rose welcomed him with a smile and, unlike last time, no other girls behind her, eyeing him like a piece of chocolate.

"You're back." she said and then looked over at Sam, maintaining that smile. "With a friend." She added.

"I'm agent Leary." Sam said and she continued to stare at him, like she forgot about Dean.

"I'm Rose." She said and stepped aside to let them in. As soon as they walked into the house, the girls stared at them from the side room, from the stairs, from everywhere. Suddenly, Dean felt like prey walking into a predators' den. He sort of liked the attention, but it was getting weird.

"Hello, ladies." Sam said and then they quietly started to giggle.

"Hi." Most of them said, softly, like timid creatures; they weren't timid creatures at all, not by the way they eyed Sam and Dean like a pretty pink designer dress on sale. It looked like they were ready to pounce on them. Rose wasn't kidding last time when she said it was like walking into a den of lionesses.

"We'd like to ask you all about a fellow student." Dean said, deciding to brush it off or he'd start pushing Sam towards them, saying he was all theirs to fight for.

"Oh, I thought you were here for Stacy." Rose said, behind her sexy librarian glasses.

"Well, maybe you all might have some information that could be useful." Sam said and the girls let out a soft rumble of laughter, as if they loved the idea they could have the attention of the, no doubt sexy, FBI agents.

"I'll go get Stacy." Rose said and then turned to the girls. "Ladies, be nice." She added and they giggled again, as if the idea of being nice with attractive men was absurd.

The girls began gathering in the side room, inviting Sam and Dean to sit with them. Dean wasn't so sure the room was big enough for all of them, but he underestimated the girls. They shared chairs and were in such close proximity of each other, totally comfortable with sharing their personal space with a sonority sister. Dean had to stop his mind from getting any ideas.

"So, which student are we talking about?" said one of the girls Dean had met earlier.

"Rowan McKinley." Sam said and the girls all glanced at each other with mixed expressions. "Stacy said we should talk to her. When we did, we didn't get anything useful other than her roommate, Veronica, had played a terrible prank about the snake Stacy had seen." Sam said, no doubt sounding sensitive which the girls obviously liked.

Stacy then entered the room with Rose who looked a little agitated, probably that her tip hadn't been as successful as she had hoped.

"Of course they'd play all innocent." Stacy said, out of her funk, apparently, and looking more like the other girls: pretty and girlie.

"Why did you want me to talk to her?" Dean asked and she grunted. Yeah, she was clearly agitated. Or maybe she was on her menstrual cycle. A not-so-sensitive thought, but his name wasn't Sam Winchester.

"Something doesn't seem right about Rowan." Rose said and the girls all agreed. "We invited lots of newcomers to our sonority for rush. Rowan was one of them and she seemed to fit our criteria, but she didn't seem to fit in well." She added, confusing Dean who now had a frown slowly forming. Sam quickly glanced at him and then jumped in, indirectly clearing his brother's confusion.

"By that you mean she could have lots in common with you girls, but wasn't as sociable." Sam said and the girls all smiled.

"Exactly." Rose said and Dean now raised his eyebrows, as if he still didn't get it.

"Veronica mentioned jealously and maybe even resentment that Rowan didn't join your sonority, getting attention from the guys on campus." Sam said and the girls all exchanged what seemed like bewilderment mixed with irritation.

"Naturally. Veronica hates the idea of sonorities just because her idea of friends is those with benefits." Rose said and the others agreed. Dean still didn't get all the girl drama, but Sam did, as per freaking usual.

Besides the girl drama, Dean still didn't see how Rowan fit into all of this. So she was socially awkward. So was Dean in some ways. Who wasn't? And so what Veronica wasn't a Malibu Barbie? She seemed more of a borderline Goth anyway, but that doesn't mean they have to dislike her. If being different makes Rowan and Veronica suspects, then it was completely pointless being there in that house.

Sam caught Dean's expression and quickly jumped in, smiling apologetically at the girls for interrupting.

"So, would Rowan know anything about this snake that could be useful to the case?" Sam asked and Dean relaxed, listening, giving the girls one last chance before he walked out.

The girls were quiet for a brief moment, exchanging looks of uncertainty.

"Well, at our rush party, one of the guys was dressed up as a ghost. You know, white sheets and chains, trying to scare the newcomers by telling the story that this place is apparently haunted." Rose said and then the girls, oddly, began speaking for themselves.

"He tried to scare Rowan a little with how our haunting ghost died and she seemed totally different. She was a little creepy. He tried to float around her and then scare her from behind, but she only smiled, totally unnerved." One of the girls said, one that Dean hadn't yet met.

"Yeah," said another. "She turned to Brad, the one dressed like a ghost, and said that wasn't true. She said she didn't sense death in the house. No one had died and there's no haunting ghost." The girl added and the others all looked uncomfortable.

Dean expected them to be happy to hear they didn't have a ghost, but they obviously hadn't come into contact with one. If they had, they'd have been very overjoyed and relieved.

"Rowan then seemed back to normal after Brad's story and when Rose asked her if she was alright, she didn't seem to remember saying anything to Brad." Stacy said with her arms crossed over her chest, looking less agitated than earlier.

"It's no wonder she's bunked with Veronica. I wouldn't doubt it if they're both witches." One of the girls said, getting the others to agree with her.

Dean glanced at Sam as if to say they weren't going to get anything else. Sam's expression was agreement and nodded to the girls.

"Thanks for your time." Dean said as he got up. The girls all seemed a little sad to see their guests go, all except for Stacy who was probably still recovering from her shock of seeing a giant snake.

"We'll be in touch if we have any more questions." Sam said, which seemed to make the girls happy.

"You're welcome any time." Rose said and she girls tried to cover their giggles with their hands. Sam and Dean nodded and saw themselves out.

As they walked down the steps and began walking away from the sonority house, walking back to the college, Sam tilted his head as if something dawned on him. Dean followed his gaze and guessed that his brother was probably looking at the fence with the gaping hole in it that the snake made to get around unseen.

"What?" Dean asked.

"Dr. Manderly, the man I was talking to about the camera in the corner of his porch, had seen the snake in front of his house." Sam said and took out his cell phone, looking at the picture of the Polaroid. "Judging by the pattern of the snake's scales, I'm guessing he was heading to the college. Then, on the surveillance camera at the convenience store, we saw the snake go in the direction of the dorms." Sam said and Dean raised an eyebrow, not exactly getting the big deal of this epiphany.

When Sam noticed, he sighed and had that usual irritated expression that said his older brother wasn't as smart as him, little brother I-went-to-Harvard. It was frustrating that they couldn't be on the same page.

"The snake is obviously going somewhere. Stacy was in its way. I think, if the girls are right to think this might involve Rowan, the snake could be going to the dorms." Sam said and Dean slowly nodded, as if pretending to catch on.

"So we stake out the dorms and stalk Rowan." Dean said and Sam nodded his head.

"In the meantime, I'm calling Dr. Manderly to see if his research might be useful to us." Sam said and began dialing a number he got from a small business card. Dean glanced around while his brother was asking questions.

Alright, so this was a legit case with a real giant snake. Was it Jormungand, Loki's Norse offspring? He still wasn't sure about that. For one, Gabriel was an Archangel. The children he had with a Norse chick had to be half angel, not a giant freaking snake that was the doom of the Norse Gods!

And Dean couldn't quite understand Rowan going all Ghost Whisperer on the sonority girls. The fact that she didn't remember anything seemed true, or else she might have hinted something when they had met her.

"No, that sounds good, Dr. Manderly." Sam said, snapping Dean out of his thoughts. "Did you find anything on how to stop Jormungand?" he asked and Dean's mouth nearly fell open. Not another that believed this was the Norse snake of death.

He shook his head, looking at the back door of the college. How could a big snake go up and around unnoticed, besides the convenience store camera? How did it know where to go? If it really was Jormungand, than was he really looking for his sister, according to Sam's theory which was just as weird as this whole case?

"Oh right, well, thanks for your time, Dr. Manderly." Sam said and hung up with a light grin on his face.

"What?" Dean asked, not sure he bought the Norse mythology of this case.

"He said Thor hadn't stopped Jormungand. In Norse's mythology of an apocalypse, Thor is supposed to kill the creature, but die from its poison." Sam said and Dean found that to be highly uplifting, in a very sarcastic manner. "So, if I mean to kill this giant snake, which is obviously not Jormungand, a simple beheading should do." Sam said and Dean snorted.

"You mean he isn't on the mythology band wagon?" Dean asked and Sam shot him a glare.

"I'd say he's on the fence, but given that he's a scientist, he won't believe it until he truly sees it. Kinda like someone I know." Sam said, then Dean was the one to shoot his brother a glare.

"Funny." Dean said, but Sam wasn't laughing.

They reached the college and entered by the back doors, apparently going to the cafeteria.

"The problem is, when you decapitate a snake, its can still bite up until an hour later." Sam said and Dean glanced over at him, disgusted. "It still bites when stimulated. There's a video that shows a decapitated snake biting its own body." He added and pulled out his phone to find that video on Youtube to prove he wasn't crazy.

Dean raised his hand and shook his head, clearly disgusted. Sam began tucking his phone back in his pocket.

"So, we slice its head off and watch it for an hour?" Dean asked and Sam shrugged his shoulders. "And you're sure it might _be heading_ over to the dorms?" he asked and Sam nodded his head, oblivious that his older brother was attempting a decapitation pun. "You think it could be after Rowan?" he asked, trying to not feel offended and Sam met his eyes, looking uncertain.

"It does sound weird that she was normal, then shifted to this strange death sensing girl, then reverted back without any memory of it happening." Sam replied and then Dean knew he was beginning to think his theory of Jormungand on the hunt for his sister could be correct after all.

"Well, we'll grab some snacks, sit in the Impala and conveniently park it in front of the dorms." Dean said and Sam nodded like he liked that idea.


	6. Chapter 6

**Watchful Eye**

They sat in the Impala, parking out in front of the dorms, eating sandwiches and fries. Sam, of course, got himself a salad too, which Dean tried not to ask if his little brother was watching his figure. There was just still too much girlie drama at the Maple City College to even get more by teasing Sam.

They were waiting until nightfall, the only time the snake seemed to move around. And, if Sam was correct, would be coming to the dorms. The thing Dean couldn't understand is why it hadn't reached the dorm during the same night. Why did it take so long around the campus? Their research showed it moving quickly.

However, Sam noted that if his sister Hel truly was amongst these young women, that maybe Jormungand had a hard time to single her out, especially if she was having moments of Ghost Whisperer and then forgetting about it.

"Maybe she doesn't remember who she is." Sam said and Dean rolled his eyes.

"Okay, yeah this is a big kick-ass snake, but I'm not buying the mythology aspect." Dean said and Sam just stared at him, as if to say he knew he was right and Dean was eventually going to find out.

All of a sudden, nearly making them jump out of their skins, someone knocked on Sam's window. They turned and saw Veronica bent to better see them, staring at them with a slight smile. Sam rolled down the window and she leaned on the window sill of the passenger door.

"Just what are you two doing?" she asked.

"We ask the questions around here." Dean said and she gave him an indignant look.

"I didn't do anything and I know my rights." She said, but Sam quickly jumped in to smooth out the situation.

"We suspect the snake will appear tonight, here at the dorms. We're here to make sure no one gets hurt." Sam said and she snorted.

"How chivalrous." She replied, then looked over at Dean, her voice as cold as the look in her eyes. "What did those snobs say, exactly?" she asked and now Sam seemed to be the cold one.

"We can't divulge that information." He said and she snorted.

"Of course not." Veronica said and then Dean frowned, wondering how she knew they had spoken to the girls at the sonority house again. Maybe she really was a witch. Unless she was referring to the first time they had spoken to the girls.

"Were you at their rush party?" Dean asked her and she made a disgusted face.

"Ew. No." she replied dryly. "Is it what they said about Rowan? She's some sort of freak because she didn't sense any ghosts?" she asked and Dean just stared at her, waiting for her to continue. "She doesn't remember. I even asked her and she believes it's just a rumor. I'm thinking she's right. Those Barbie dolls don't like someone who doesn't conform to their lifestyle." Veronica said and looked at Dean like he was just another one of those sonority girls.

"Has Rowan been acting strange lately?" Sam asked and Veronica turned her cold eyes on him.

"She's been a little worried that maybe those girls are trying to make her out to be some sort of freakazoid, thank you very much." Veronica said, her tone sharp, and then turned on her heels to leave.

The brothers watched her leave, surprised that they suddenly became her less favorite people on campus. She was very defensive about Rowan. Obviously, she was Rowan's friend and roommate, but they were obviously deemed odd by the sonority girls. Of course Veronica would protect Rowan.

But she couldn't protect Rowan against a giant snake, if Sam was correct.

They sat out in the Impala, unaffected by Veronica, eating in silence, watching the street and the back of the campus. Then, just as sudden as the first time, came that surprising knocking on Sam's window. They expected it to be Veronica again, but it was Rowan this time. And she did not look happy.

Sam rolled down his window and before they could say anything, she was even colder than Veronica.

"What do you think you're doing? You believe those idiots? I'm not a freak." Rowan said and Sam was quick to raise a hand, as in surrender, to calm her down.

"We never said you were. As we told Veronica, we believe the snake will appear here tonight. For the safety of everyone in this dorm, we're keeping watch." Sam said and Rowan just stared at him as if that didn't make a difference.

"You know that's bullshit, right?" she asked and Sam sighed a little quietly.

"We've seen it on tape, slithering up and around the back door to the college. I know it seems bizarre, but that's what we deal with." Sam said and then she frowned as if they were the freaks.

"You deal with stuff like UFO's?" she asked and then Dean swallowed hard, trying not to remember any experience with that.

"And more." Sam replied and her frowned deepened with disgust.

"None of that exists. You could have just said no instead of patronizing me. You're just getting sucked into this stupid story like everyone else because Stacy is a drama queen. Keep out of here or I'll call the cops, you psychos." Rowan said and did as Veronica, turn on her heels and leave. Sam rolled his window back up, looking irritated.

"Way too much estrogen around here." Dean said and Sam let out a soft chuckle like he was beginning to think the same thing. "Still think she might be the snake's long lost sister?" he asked and Sam didn't even answer, probably too irritated to get into that with his skeptical brother.

They returned to sitting in silence, eating and keeping their eyes open for anything out of the ordinary.

The sky began to darken and it hit them just how exhausted they were from running around all day, gathering information. Dean let Sam sleep first, then they would switch. He knew it wouldn't be easy to force his body into understanding that one of them had to remain awake. His eyes felt heavy and it took a lot to keep them open.

He thought of what he had seen on tape from the convenience store. He thought about the picture Sam showed him that Dr. Manderly had taken with his incredibly retro camera. He thought of the fence, how even on the camera at the convenience store, the snake had the ability to burn the metal. It slithered up the wall and out of sight.

But Rowan? Maybe she's psychic and has been trying to block out her abilities. Maybe she was just playing a prank of the sonority girls and Brad, then convincingly lied that she didn't remember.

He just couldn't accept that this was mythical. He didn't have time chasing exaggerated stories. Most of the pagan Gods were killed when Lucifer walked in on their meeting. Gabriel sure as Hell didn't mention siring kids with a Norse Goddess or Giantess, whatever she was. He specifically told Sam that not even the dragons looked like dragons.

He had better things to do, like crack open Crowley into telling them anything useful. He could use Crowley like all the times he used them in his schemes. That self proclaimed demon King had caused them a lot of grief and he wanted the chance to even the score.

What next after they solve this case, if they can even call it that? Rescue Persephone from the tyrant Hades?

 _Winchesters' Damsel-in-Distress Rescue missions, how can we help you? Held against your will by Hades? Sure, no problem. Oh, don't worry about Cerberus. We dealt with Jormungand successfully so that three headed dog won't be bothersome._

Dean just couldn't wrap his mind about mythologies existing. Werewolves, vampires, ghosts and other monsters, yes; he'd killed many of those. Yes, he's seen his fair share of weird things. Hell, even new monsters. But mythology just didn't fit in. Of course, when you have several pagan Gods standing before you, one who you know you saw change from an elephant to a man, you have to believe.

But this? No.

Plus, Rowan looked like an ordinarily pissed off girl, sick of the FBI watching her like a hawk with their stupid beliefs of a giant snake lurking in the bushes, preying on young woman.

That was enough to keep Dean awake, but eventually his eyes won the battle. He closed his eyes to rest because they ached so much, but he then fell asleep.

It was Sam who woke him up, having heard some screaming. Dean looked around and mentally kicked himself for having fallen asleep. What a rookie move. Sam was clearly alert and began looking around. He then locked his gaze on the sonority house and grabbed Dean's shoulder, pointing in that direction.

Dean turned the key, bringing his car to life with a roar of satisfaction, and quickly stepped on the accelerator, turning back towards the sonority house. As they approached with speed, they could see an impossibly large snake coiled in front of the house on the street as girls inside were watching with horror through the window.

At the front door, obviously locked out, were Rowan and Veronica, staring at the snake in pale-faced horror.

Dean had just put the car in park when Sam jumped out of the car to distract the snake from the young women. Dean cut the engine and quickly got to the trunk, opening it and selecting a couple of very large machetes and some shotguns for added protection.

He watched as Sam got the snake's attention away from the girls. It wasn't what Dean had expected. It was bigger than an anaconda, with bright piercing eyes and very large fangs. It hissed at Sam and coiled tighter, as if it was about to strike. Its head, sort of like a King Cobra, had an inflatable neck hood, but it opened up to make it look like a Chinese dragon with "poh shan" which is what makes Chinese dragons fly. Dean knew this from his research on dragons when he thought dragons looked like actual dragons.

Oh, don't let this snake have the ability to fly.

This snake wasn't just a snake; it was big and powerful. It flicked its tongue out at Sam, and then turned its attention back to the girls, as if knowing this was the focus of his hunt.

Dean ran up to his brother, giving him a machete and a shotgun, and they both made a large circle around the snake, up to the front door to protect Rowan and Veronica.

"Ever shot a gun before?" Dean asked the two girls. Veronica turned her wide eyes to him, baffled at the idea.

"No." she said sheepishly.

When Dean turned his attention to Rowan, he was startled. He was beginning to understand what the sonority girls meant by she acted strange, like she was different. Her entire demeanor had changed and her eyes looked dark and cold. He felt as if he wasn't looking at the same girl any more. And the way she stared down at the snake made a shiver run down his spine.

The snake hissed, flicking out his tongue as if slowly approached the house. Sam readied his shot gun and shot at the snake.

Rowan, however, had said something Dean couldn't understand, and she narrowed her eyes on Sam, as if shooting the snake pissed her off. Dean turned to Veronica and had a plan he wasn't sure would work out.

"Talk to her." he said and Veronica looked at Rowan, her face paling as she realizing that her friend was indeed acting strange. "Talk!" he snapped and Veronica tried to get Rowan to focus on her rather than the snake.

Dean stepped beside Sam and joined him in shooting at the snake. It was harmful, but not damaging enough. If anything, they were pissing it off. Its hisses came out more sharp and menacing. Its eyes pierced with such agitation that its body began to quiver as it coiled even tighter. It was getting defensive and, at any minute, maybe it would strike a deathly blow, sinking its poisonous fangs into them.

Dean got Sam to distract it, while he tried to get around with his machete. The snake wasn't fooled, but Sam continued shooting, making it direct its attention to the gun.

He could hear Veronica talking to Rowan, asking her if she wanted to transfer out of Maple City along with her, go to another college that isn't crawling with bizarre things. Rowan had just fallen silent, watching the snake like she was in a daze. Dean kept his eyes on the snake, knowing that the closer he got, the deadlier the snake was. One twist of the head, one bite, could kill him.

The closer he got to behind the snake's head, the more his heart punched his rib cage. He was in way over his head, but how else do you kill Jormungand? There wasn't an almighty hammer just lying around.

Then, the snake coiled one last time and tried to launch itself at Sam. Dean swung the machete over his head and brought it down on its neck, not even getting a clean cut. The snake turned his head, but it couldn't strike Dean. However, it twisted its body, hitting Dean so hard that he plummeted forward, right in the perfect striking range.

Sam fired more shots, but the snake wouldn't divert its piercing eyes from Dean as he lay on the ground, defenseless.

Veronica, surprisingly, was the one firing the shots, not Sam. He was the one to swing the machete high above his head, bringing it down where Dean had created a fatal wound, finishing the job. The head had been severed, but Dean wasn't safe just yet.

Its head could still bite and the damned thing was trying.

He put all he had into pushing himself away from the decapitated snake and it seemed it could not follow.

Sam helped his brother and they returned to the front door where it was safe. Veronica had a wild fear in her eyes as she clung to the shotgun. Sam had to carefully take it from her. Dean glanced at Rowan, who seemed herself again. However, she just seemed confused and terribly frightened.

"What just happened?" she murmured, her eyes just as wild with fear.

"Do you remember?" Dean asked her and Rowan shook her head as her eyes remained glued to the large decapitated snake on the front lawn of the sonority house. Dean glanced at his brother and they both knew that, whenever she became noticeably different, she would forget whatever happened.

It was now obvious that something wasn't right about her.

The girls inside the house had indeed locked the door and, judging by the expressions on their faces through the windows, they wanted Rowan and Veronica off their property.


	7. Chapter 7

**Supervision**

After the snake's head no longer moved in any way, either moving its eyes, flicking its tongue or hissing, the entire monster burnt up like magician's flash paper, only a little slower. Any evidence that it actually existed was gone. Unfortunately, it had burned itself in the memory of those college girls, forever marking them with the knowledge that monsters are real.

A mark that, sadly, no hunter could remove.

Rowan was adamant that she didn't know what occurred. She didn't only forget what was going on between her and the snake; she downright believed it never happened. The more Sam, Dean and Veronica questioned her, the more she shut down, bursting into a fit of tears.

Although she never said it, Veronica was a little shaken up knowing that her friend and roommate really was strange. The girls at the sonority house, on the other hand, wanted Rowan gone, fearful that she too could be a monster. That was enough to have Veronica back to her old self, so defensive of Rowan.

After talking with them, Rowan and Veronica decided to take matters into their own hands and go visit the sonority house. The girls wouldn't let them in, so it was a shouting match on both sides of the door; Rowan and Veronica accusing the girls of spreading bullshit and the girls calling them freaks. The snake was obviously attracted to the noise and when it appeared, the girls ignored Rowan and Veronica asking to let them in. Everyone was just too scared.

As Dean looked at Rowan, he wondered just what was going on with her. Was she really Hel?

"We can take her with us." Sam said and Dean raised his eyebrows, not sure it was a good idea. "We can watch her, see if she'll remember." He said and then the decision was made when Veronica came up to them with pleading sorrowful eyes.

"Please take Rowan with you. She has no family, nowhere else to go. I'd have her stay with me, but I don't think I can be of any help. You can keep her safe because I highly doubt the FBI would have 'giant snake decapitation' as part of their training." She said, knowing that they weren't actually federal agents, but apparently not caring just what it is they did for a living. "Whatever you are, you can help her better than I can." she added and Dean nodded his head.

They probably were the only ones able to help her.

Rowan didn't complain, since the sonority girls pretty much closed their windows out of fear of her. She knew her roommate Veronica wasn't afraid, but rather uncertain, which was just as painful. Rowan gathered her things from the dorm room and got into the Impala with the brothers, being eerily quiet in the back seat.

Eventually, she fell asleep on the way to the Men of Letters' bunker; indeed the safest place to be. However, there was the issue of having Crowley locked up in the dungeon, which didn't deter them from feeling safe in their home. He was chained and trapped. But they would have to make sure she never found out about their captive.

When they pulled into the garage after several hours, she woke up, looking a little startled.

"It's okay. You're safe." Sam said and she glanced around at the garage full of old cars.

"You really aren't FBI." Rowan murmured.

"No. We're hunters, legacies, Men of Letters." Dean said and Sam shot him an inquisitive look, as if to say it was too much for her to handle. "We hunt and kill monsters like that giant snake." Dean added and she glanced at him as he got out of the Impala, like she wasn't sure if he was serious.

"We're brothers, actually. I'm Sam Winchester and this is Dean." Sam said, then gesturing to the crabby one that drove the very uncomfortable car.

Rowan reluctantly got out of the back seat, shouldering her bag of things, watching them with distrust.

"Why lie about being Feds?" she asked and the brothers were silent for a brief moment.

"It's how we get information of what's happening. It's our job." Dean said, walking away, leaving Sam to deal with the still confused girl.

Rowan glanced at Sam who pulled out her bigger bags, helping her bring in her stuff. She eyed Dean suspiciously and then followed Sam to the bunker. As she walked in, she stared at everything with astonishment. It probably wasn't what she expected. It was an old bunker, looking like an old military place, but with a splash of more elegant furnishings. Not to forget the obvious weird technology all over the place. It was like modernity was clashing with war-prepped times.

Sam showed her a room she could use. It looked bare, but she accepted it without complaint. She set her bag on the bed and took in her surroundings. Rowan didn't seem as fearful now, but her eyes were filled with uncertainty.

"We can show you around, if you want." Sam said, but she seemed too focused on her room.

"Maybe after it all sinks in." she said and Sam nodded his head.

"Hungry or anything?" Dean asked and, without looking at them, turned around, still eyeing the room like she could see things they couldn't.

"Sure." She replied and then got busy unpacking her bags. For some reason, she was hyper vigilant about the bunker. The brothers left her alone, but weren't going to stray too far. Dean stayed in the hallway as Sam prepared her a sandwich, grabbing along with it a bottle of water and an apple.

When he placed it on the bed beside her things, she looked at Sam and gave a small smile.

"Thanks for taking me in. I feel bad about being so mean to you two." she said and her eyes seemed a little sad. "It's probably best that I transfer out of Maple City and take the rest of the semester off." She added and Sam smiled at her. Rowan seemed a little more normal now, no longer hyper vigilant of her room.

"You've been through a lot. If that would make you feel better, you should go for it." he said and the sadness in her eyes seemed to fade a bit. "You can stay here as long as you need."

"Thanks." She replied, but then a hint of suspicion seemed to glow on her eyes. If there was anything she wanted to say, she kept it to herself. Sam left her to finish unpacking and met up with Dean in the kitchen who was taking care of his own stomach.

"She seems better, but I think she might be a little on guard." Sam said and Dean just nodded as he fixed himself what looked like a giant sandwich with nearly everything you can think of stuffing in between two slices of bread.

"She knows we want to help. We drilled her with questions shortly after killing the snake, remember? She isn't going to forget it." Dean said and Sam nodded, but there was something about that suspicious look in her eyes that unsettled him a little. He couldn't explain it, so he brushed it off for the moment.

Once Rowan had recovered from the shock of it all about an hour later, she joined them at their fancy tables with books spread out everywhere.

"Unpacked?" Sam asked her and she nodded her head, looking at all the books.

"So, I take it hunting rare animals isn't your thing; there's no taxidermy in sight." Rowan said and the brothers exchanged glances, as if mentally having a conversation. Would she be able to handle it?

"We hunt other things, more sinister things." Sam said and Dean didn't seem sure she could handle it.

"Please don't say ghosts." Rowan said and when the brothers remained silent, looking at her in a sort of defiant way, she seemed eager for some sort of admittance of a joke. "You're serious." She added and Dean looked back down at his book, jaw clenched like her disbelief was annoying him.

"Ghosts, vampires, werewolves. You name it, we killed it." Sam said and Rowan stared at them, not sure whether to nod or laugh. "They're real, Rowan. They killed people, destroyed families, and there's so much evil in the world." Sam said, his expression more soft than Dean's. "Evil like that isn't easy for the authorities to deal with. That's where we come in. There's no pay because most people don't believe in monsters, but those that have lost someone to them." Sam said and, by the look in his eyes, Rowan was silent. She evidently knew he was speaking from experience and she didn't want to hurt him by asking questions.

"Okay, I'm willing to accept this, since you're both so serious. No lunatics could live in a place like this." She said and Dean glanced at her, not finding that to be a compliment. "And I'm pretty sure it's not the first time you imitated FBI agents. I'm also willing to bet you're good at it, since they haven't caught up to you." Rowan added and the brothers were silent. Sam only gave her a small smile and then went back to his book.

Rowan sat in silence, glancing at all the books, trying to see what they were reading. From what she could tell, everything was about angels and God. That didn't give her much of a hint, so she tried to gently interrupt them with a question.

"So, what are you doing now?" she asked, her voice low and soft. Dean exhaled as if too annoyed and pushed his book away. Sam gave him a short glare, and then turned to her with a soft understanding expression. Obviously, where Dean lacked compassion, Sam made up for it.

"In between hunts, we have bigger fish to fry. This is one of them." Sam said and the fact that he was so vague, Rowan took it as a hint to not ask any more questions. She simply sat there, looking bored and uncomfortable.

After a few minutes, Sam couldn't take her sitting there bored out of her skull.

"There's a TV in my room." He said and she lit up. "I'll show you." He said, getting up and she immediately followed, thankful for something more interesting.

When Sam returned, Dean glanced up at him, annoyed.

"What?" Sam asked.

"I'm just not used to having someone else here. Charlie's different. But her?" Dean said and Sam shook his head. "We're supposed to help her remember so we can find out if she's Loki's kid. Not give her free board and rent." He added and Sam shot him a slight glare.

"We can't lock her up and drill her." Sam said, making his brother think of the other one who's actually locked up.

"We can't exactly ask Crowley anything with her here. She can't stay or else we won't be able to figure out how to open Heaven." Dean said and Sam understood the problem.

After hours, Rowan came out of Sam's room, looking for snacks in the kitchen.

Dean glanced at Sam as if to say they had to get her to remember what went on between her and the snake. She was calm now and, by the looks of it, no longer suspicious. It was now or later which Dean couldn't afford.

"Hey Rowan, got a minute?" Sam asked and she glanced over at them, the suspicion returning in her eyes. However, she approached and sat at the table like she had earlier, except with a bag of Dean's chips.

"I was saving those." Dean said as she crunched on a chip.

"Sorry." She said with a small smile. She pushed the bag in between them to share. Dean didn't look thrilled, but decided to let it slide, crunching on a few chips too. Sam watched them with a slight smile on his face, but it disappeared when he couldn't quite find the words to ease her into thinking back about the snake he believed was Jormungand.

"This is going to sound strange, but have you ever experienced anything like that giant snake?" Sam asked and she casually glanced at him with suspicion.

"No." she replied dryly. "I'm not going through this again." she added and was about to get up, but Dean decided to show that he can he somewhat soft.

"Just listen." He said and she settled back down in her chair, eyeing him suspiciously. "This wasn't just some giant snake. Our theory is that it's Jormungand." He added and when she frowned in confusion, he clarified. "A mythical monster." He concluded and she let out a dry snort of a laugh.

"From horror monsters to mythology; now I know you're crazy." Rowan said, about to get up again.

"We were there. We saw what happened. You were talking to the snake like Harry Potter in that one movie." Dean said and Rowan frowned at the pop culture reference, which didn't help to make him not seem crazy. "There has to be a reason why you don't remember that." Dean concluded and Rowan remained absolutely silent.

They explained more about the giant snake so she would understand what it was. Not only did they want to clarify that it was indeed a real monster, but to see if hearing about Jormungand would trigger her memory of what happened. They told her the myths of this monster and how the snake seemed to be searching for something. They loaded her mind with all this information.

No such luck.

Rowan just stared at the pages in front of her, of the way the snake traveled and killed young women from out of town, at the pictures in a book about Norse mythology. She seemed just as confused as Dean had felt with the whole mythology being part of their freaky supernatural world.

"Loki had three children." Sam began. "All three were the end of the Gods, Ragnarok, as they called it." he added and they watched her expression, seeing only a blank look of confusion. She wasn't remembering anything and none of this seemed to trigger anything.

When the brothers were silent for a brief moment, she looked up at them and for a change and she seemed scared.

"I don't know what you want me to say. I don't remember anything." she said and her eyes filled with fear. "One second the snake was there, scaring the shit out of us, and then it was decapitated. I thought it just happened so fast and that I must have been shocked." Rowan added, the fear gone to her voice, causing her words to come out shaky.

"You don't remember what you said to it?" Sam asked and the fear in her eyes quickly ignited into irritation.

"I just said I don't remember." She snapped and Sam tried to show her he was apologetic. "I don't know anything. Nothing happened!" she snapped again and one of the light bulbs in the room exploded as she jumped out of the chair, stalking down the corridors, back to Sam's room where she slammed the door behind her, diving back into his TV for comfort.

The brothers were astonished by the sudden outburst. She had actually caused a light bulb to shatter out of agitation. At that moment, any doubt was gone. Rowan had to have a connection with Jormungand. And, as crazy as it sounded, she just might be Hel with a bad case of amnesia.


	8. Chapter 8

**Full Plate**

Rowan had locked herself in Sam's room. He knocked on the door, but she wouldn't answer. They had given her some space for a couple of hours, until the brothers got too tired to keep their noses in those useless books. Sam didn't want to bother her, but it was _his_ room.

"Rowan, can I have my bedroom back?" he asked and waited a few seconds. The door unlocked and she slipped out so quickly, it surprised Sam. She was making a beeline to her room just down the hall. "Rowan, we didn't mean to upset you. We just –" he began, but she slipped into her room and slammed the door behind her, cutting off his sentence.

Dean came up behind his brother with a bit of concern in his eyes.

"So not used to have a girl live with us." Dean said and Sam cast him a glare. "You know, I was thinking…" He added and Sam's glare disappeared with a slight grin.

"Dangerous." He said, but Dean chose to ignore him.

"Wouldn't it be better to let her forget?" he asked and Sam frowned in confusion.

"What do you mean?" he asked and when Dean turned to him, he could see his brother had already thought about this.

"If she's really Loki's kid, and she doesn't remember, she's living her life like any normal person, why change that?" he asked and Sam knew where this was coming from. Dean was always trying here and there to make sure that those affected by monsters could live a normal life, unlike them.

"Dean." Sam said, bursting his brother's bubble. "If she's Hel, she's going to know at some point. Eventually, the truth comes out and when it does, it's going to be ugly. If we can at least be there for her when it happens, she might be able to handle it." Sam added and then didn't look convinced.

"What's going to be ugly is when she discovers that Hel, the Ruler of the Dead, is half human and half corpse. No magazine in the world considers that a fashion chic." Dean said and Sam narrowed his eyes at his brother's lack of taking this seriously. "Don't look at me like that." Dean said, as if knowing what Sam was thinking. "Let her forget because I can guarantee even if she could remember, she probably doesn't want to." He concluded and as Dean entered his bedroom, Sam was left alone to realize that Dean probably had a good point.

Rowan's behavior suggested she didn't want to know anything about Jormungand.

Sam closed his door and turned off his television, falling fast sleep once he collapsed into bed.

When he opened his eyes later, after what left like only an hour of being asleep, he was woken up by Dean who had turned on the light above Sam, blinding him.

"C'mon, get up. We got to go see Kevin." Dean said. It seemed he too only slept for an hour. His hair was messy and the only thing he seemed to have on was his gray bathrobe and his brown slippers.

"What?" Sam asked. He wasn't fully awake enough to understand why they had to rush over to wherever Kevin was held up. He glanced at the clock by his bed to find out it was seven in the morning. They had actually been asleep for about five hours. Sure didn't seem like it.

"Kevin called. He needs our help. Something about Castiel finding something that might help undo Metatron's spell." Dean said and Sam sat up, rubbing the sleep off his face.

"Okay." He said and Dean walked out, looking like he too was still half asleep.

The Winchesters got dressed, packed up a few things, and made themselves some coffee before driving out. While Dean took care of the caffeine, making sure it was strong, Sam decided to let Rowan know that they had to leave. She wasn't going to like getting woken up at seven in the morning, but they couldn't leave without saying anything.

He knocked gently on her door, but when he heard nothing but silence, he knocked again with a bit more force. He heard the springs of her bed, followed by some shuffling. The door opened and she was combing her fingers through her hair, squinting at him.

"It's too early, Sam." She said and he gave her an apologetic smile.

"I know, but Dean and I have to go." He said and she opened her eyes with a bit of worry. "A friend needs our help. We wouldn't want to leave you alone, but we don't really have a choice." He added and she nodded. He expected her to argue that they could bring her along, but she stayed silent. It seems she didn't want to go anywhere but back to bed.

"Yeah, sure." Rowan said, trying not to yawn.

"We'll lock the door. No one comes around here anyway, so you're safe." He said and she nodded.

"But there's some house rules." Dean said as he walked up. She popped her head out more to look at him, rubbing her right eye. "No snooping around. You're a guest in our home, so have some respect. Don't break anything. And, most important of all, if you hear a voice, ignore it." he added and Sam glanced at him with a bit of worry on his face.

"What?" Rowan asked, too tired to understand.

"And, whatever you do, don't open any doors. The place is haunted." Dean said and then Sam widened his eyes. What was his brother thinking? She had gone into a sort of trance with Brad at the sonority house, not sensing any ghosts in the house. And Dean tells her not to pay attention to hearing Crowley from the dungeon because the bunker's haunted?

When Rowan glanced over at Sam, he lost his expression before she could notice and he gave her a small smile.

"You can watch TV in my room, log into my computer for the Internet, go to the kitchen and bathroom at the end of the hall. You can even go through the books on the shelves if you want. That's what Dean means to say." Sam said and when she nodded her head, stifling a yawn, Sam quickly shot Dean a glare.

"So, we're off. Remember what we said." Dean added and then took off.

"You got a paper and pen in your room?" Sam asked and she nodded, turning away from the door, turning on the light and walking over to the nightstand next to the bed. With the light, Sam was able to make out her pajamas had little monkeys and bananas all over them. He didn't think college girls wore T-shirts and pants to bed. It was nice to know, actually.

Rowan returned with a pad of paper and a pen. The paper had her name on it from the Humane Society, which made Sam smile. He quickly noted his laptop username and password, then his cellular number.

"Just write down your number and I'll call you when we get back." Sam said and she nodded, writing her number at the bottom, and then ripped that off the note pad. Sam took her number and placed it in his pocket. "Right, so we'll see you soon." He added and she nodded, closing the door and shutting off the light.

Sam didn't like the idea of leaving her alone in the bunker with Crowley chained up in the dungeon. He couldn't feel comfortable with that. He'd have to call Rowan a few hours later to see how she would be doing. If she discovers Crowley, he'll catch a ride back to the bunker.

They left the bunker and rushed out to find Kevin.

Rowan had returned to bed and stayed asleep for a moment longer. Having Sam wake her up at seven in the morning sort of ruined it. She slept for about an hour or two and was wide awake. There wasn't much to do in Sam and Dean's huge bunker, but she couldn't stay in bed all day.

She had stuff to do. Rowan wanted to transfer out, like Veronica had suggested, and with all the drama, see if she could take the rest of the semester off. If she didn't do that, she'd probably end up crazy. She needed a normal life again so she could forget the snake and the two brothers that walked around imitating federal agents so they could kill monsters everyone thought weren't real. Heck, Rowan wasn't even sure if she completely believed them.

Nothing made sense and if it wasn't for seeing a giant snake coiled in front of the sonority house, she really would have thought Sam and Dean were insane. She would have called the mental institution, but then she'd get thrown in too. Everyone thought she was a freak.

Rowan got dressed and left her room, grabbing her cell phone and stuffing it into her pocket. Everything was so quiet and it bothered her. She'd hook up her iPod to a sound system if she could, but Dean said no snooping. She was restricted to Sam's room, the halls, her room, the bathroom, the kitchen and where they were doing their research hours ago. And the place was huge! Couldn't she explore a little?

Don't break anything, Dean said. You're a guest, have respect, he said. The two brothers couldn't be any more different. Sam was sensitive where as Dean was rough around the edges. If she was attracted to either of them, which she wasn't, it would be Sam. However, if she could take Dean's gorgeous features and place it with Sam's sensitivity, she'd have the perfect man!

Not that she thought of the two brothers that way.

Rowan walked into the kitchen and began making herself some coffee, opening the fridge to fix something to eat. The silence of the place still annoyed her. She didn't want to walk around with ear buds in her ears and she didn't want the noise to come from just one room. Rowan wanted music throughout the whole place.

But that required exploration.

As Rowan made a sandwich similar to what Sam had made, and prepared her cup of coffee, she began her quest to find a sound system. Screw what Dean had said. There weren't any cameras where they could watch her and even if they did, she'd tell them she wasn't a child.

She just wouldn't break anything or go snooping in Dean's room. He actually might have cameras in there.

With her sandwich and her coffee, Rowan began roaming down the halls, looking for equipment that could be a sound system. She was certain of that because here and there she could see old fashion speakers. That made her more determined to find the machine that would allow her to play some music throughout the bunker.

She ended up entering new corridors without a clue where she could be. She could just hear Dean telling her not to open doors. Who says that? The place is haunted? Yeah right. But there was something odd about the place, not that Rowan knew how she knew that.

Rowan had stuffed the rest of her sandwich in her mouth and gave the doorknob of a random selected door a slight turn. When it opened, she took out her sandwich and smiled.

"Oops, Dean, the door was slightly open. I closed it for you." She said and pushed the door open. It was so dark she had to search near the doorframe inside for a light switch. When she did and the light in the center illuminated, she was confused. Filing cabinets with a table in the center? How boring.

Rowan closed the door and continued opening doors. She just found more rooms with boring things. There were filing cabinets, boxes, weapons of various types and even a training room. She continued down to another corridor where at the end, it turned at an angle and there was a small door. Rowan skipped all the rooms to get to that small door. She opened it and there was a huge machine she didn't quite understand.

However, there was a note on the interior of the door. It seemed Sam and Dean didn't understand it either, which made it easier for her. They had labeled the switches and which one does what. There was one switch that turned off all the lights, another that controlled the temperature, another that locked down the whole place (as if it wasn't already) and then the jackpot. The sound system.

Sadly, there was no way to hook it up to anything modern. However, there was an old fashion radio with a dial. As soon as Rowan turned it, she could hear it at a low volume in the corridor. It was classic rock, which she didn't mind, but she wanted to find something a little bit more of her style. Eventually, she found an alternative rock with a bit of indie rock thrown in. Perfect. Rowan turned up the volume and let out a laugh as she danced around a bit, out of excited and pride.

It was probably the first time since the Winchesters started asking questions that she'd been happy. The proof was that she was dancing with a cup of coffee. A wonder she didn't spill any of it.

Rowan began exploring the rest of the corridors and opening doors. Behind one door was a bigger room, but what looked like prehistoric computers. Boring, since dabbling with it probably would lead to breaking it. And Dean said not to break anything.

She continued and when she opened the door, there were shelves of boxes and filing cabinets. She'd have to go looking through the files to see just what big bad monsters these two brothers had faced. The problem though is that all this stuff seemed too old, older than the brothers.

Rowan recalled Dean saying something about them being legacies. They must have been a new generation to what he also called Men of Letters. Interesting.

But it got better. At the back of the room were two very solid looking doors with a lock. Now that was interesting!

"Hello." Said a smooth and rich male voice. Rowan was certain there was some sort of interference on the radio, but that voice came from behind the door. She was even more certain of that. Dean's words began to echo in her mind. If she hears a voice, ignore it. Don't open any doors. This is what he meant. Only, he lied about the place being haunted. Of course she had known that, but what was behind that door? If Dean didn't want her to open the door, than that was going to be the rule she was going to obey. Whoever that guy is, he must be dangerous.

"Hello?" Rowan asked, wanting to hear that voice again, for some strange reason. Of course, Dean said to ignore whatever voice speaking, but between not opening the door and ignoring the voice, not opening the door seemed the most important.

"So nice to have some company. And something other than silence." That voice said and she could pick up a sort of accent. Something about his voice sounded sinister, but intriguing. Not to forget to mention sexy. Naturally, once she gave into her curiosity, she wanted more. For some strange reason, she wanted to talk with him.

"I bet." Rowan said as she approached the door, looking at the huge lock. Why would they lock someone in there? He must really be dangerous. Why else would they lock him up?

Maybe they were trying to get him to remember something about giant snakes named Jormungand too.

"Don't be shy. Come on in, no use talking through a door." The voice said, his words echoing a little, and she let out a laugh, hearing Dean's voice in her head. Yeah, so not opening the door.

"I'm not even supposed to be talking to you." Rowan said and she could have sworn she heard a snicker behind that door.

"And yet you are." The voice said.

"Yeah, well I never followed directions very well." Rowan said, nearly pressing her ear against the door. She wasn't sure what information she could get out of that, but she was indeed curious. "But I'm not opening this door." She added and she heard him snort, like he wasn't surprised.

"I don't bite, Darling." He said and she smiled, never having a guy call her a term of endearment such as Darling. It was so sexy.

Why the Hell was she so titillated by this guy? Gross! She should be appalled and walk away!

Only she couldn't. Her mind was rationally telling her this was a bad idea, but everything else wanted to continue the conversation with this guy.

"Then why are you locked up here?" she asked, waiting with a smile.

"Haven't you met Squirrel and Moose?" he asked and her smile turned into a frown of confusion.

"What? You mean Sam and Dean?" she asked and he let out a small laugh.

"Isn't it an accurate description?" he asked and she was now the one to let out a laugh.

"You named them after Rocky and Bullwinkle?" she asked, actually finding it an accurate image, as her mystery guy had said. However, the tall one wasn't the one that lacked a bit of intelligence. "That's funny." She concluded.

"Finally someone who understands my sense of humor." He said and she smiled. "By the way, doesn't that hurt your neck?" he asked and Rowan's smile vanished as she pulled away from the door. He had gone silent for a brief moment, as if he could see her through the door. "You should just come in, have a seat with me." he added and Rowan stepped away, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.

"No." she replied with conviction in her voice.

"Aw, where's the rebellious spirit?" he asked and she crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at that lock.

"If Dean doesn't want me to open this door, I won't." Rowan said and was about to walk away to leave.

"Surprising that the Winchesters brought you here." He said, making Rowan stop in her tracks. She glanced over her shoulder, but he remained silent. He was baiting her. She would have ignored him, but he naturally wanted to lure her back in with something that would peak her curiosity so much. It was working.

"What does that mean?" she asked, not moving from her spot.

"They never bring anyone here, besides their friends or their captives." He replies and fell back into silence. He didn't specify who exactly the captives are. She was insinuating that he was referring to her as a captive because she hadn't known them long enough to be a friend. However, he probably said that just to make her think this very thought.

What a cunning mystery guy.

"Goodbye, _captive_." Rowan said, stepping towards the door of the room. Whatever he meant by that, at least she wasn't locked up, so that had to make her a friend, even if she didn't feel like it.

"You'll be back." he said, baiting her once again. Rowan wanted to ask why he'd say that, but that's exactly what he wants. "Why do you think they keep me here? I'm useful." He added and she had a grin on her face.

"Or dangerous." Rowan replied and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her. In that moment, she felt pretty good. However, he had said something that was true.

She would be back.

The fact that the Winchesters didn't have guests very often made her curious. Yes, Veronica had told them she didn't have anywhere to go and Sam said she could stay for as long as she needed, but they were trying to get her to remember what she had said to the snake. Why would they do that?

He probably knew. He seemed to want to help, but with a price. She wasn't doing that until she had done a bit of research. Sam and Dean kept talking about Jormungand. That's where she was going to start.


	9. Chapter 9

**Desperate or Crazy**

Rowan had gone searching through the shelves of books for anything on the subject of mythology, monsters and snakes. Just as she was about to begin her research, her cell phone rang. She pulled it out of her pocket and recognized Sam's number. They couldn't have gotten back so soon, right?

She answered it, not worried with the music playing everywhere throughout the place; it wasn't too loud. If he asked, she'd simply say I was her iPod.

"Hey Rowan." Sam said as she accepted the call.

"Are you back already?" she asked and he let out a small laugh.

"No, just calling to see how you're doing." He said and she nodded. In other words, checking in on her, making sure she was behaving like a good little girl. That annoyed her. "Is that music I hear?" he asked and she tried not to snap.

"Yes, that's my iPod. It doesn't need speakers." Rowan said and he didn't ask any more about it, which was good because that had been a stupid answer.

"Okay, if you need anything, just give me a call." He said and she was beginning to wonder if he was always like that, super friendly and helpful. Is that his way of flirting? It was sort of working. Sort of.

"Alright. Thanks for the call. Hear from you in an hour, I guess." She said and just as Sam began protesting, she hung up on him. That was a clear hint that she didn't appreciate having him check up on her like that.

With a smile, Rowan continued with her research. The books she had pulled out weren't very helpful. It was the same stories of Jormungand that Sam had told her. The other books said nothing.

She turned to the other shelves until she had searched everything.

There was nothing but the myths of the giant Serpent that Odin had tossed into the sea, which grew so big it enveloped the world and had its tail in its mouth.

The next best things were the rooms full of filing cabinets. It would take a while, but she had to. If she went back to him for answers, it would cost her; that much she knew. Dean had warned her and, whatever he had done, she was going to listen to the Winchesters.

Rowan grabbed some tape from the kitchen so she could mark the doors of the rooms she had already searched. There were too many corridors to mentally keep track of it all.

She opened one filing cabinet, reading the tags on each one. Rowan had to ignore a lot of things, even those as captivating as _The Hope Diamond_ and _Lizzie Borden_. She had to focus and not waste her time reading through really interesting things she'd like to read.

Once the entire drawer had been checked, she began with the next drawer under. She ended up going through the entire filing cabinet, and then onto the next one.

She marked the drawers that contained really interesting reads, for later when she felt bored. She always found Lizzie Borden to be interesting. She so had to read the file!

Rowan searched an entire room of filing cabinets and had no luck of finding anything about Jormungand. She closed the door and marked it with tape, moving onto the next room. Rowan paused and looked down the corridor at all the doors of filing cabinets. If they were all like the first one she had searched, it was going to be a long day.

At least the brothers had liquor in the kitchen.

To search an entire room or filing cabinets, all its drawers and files, it took about an hour. And Rowan had spent about three hours. She hadn't even reached another corridor. Luckily, she had a break with the room of shelves, boxes all around. All she did was lift the lids to see objects. Cursed objects, apparently. What a lovely collection.

That room only took ten minutes.

Next was the training room with punching bags and so on. Not interesting.

Then, back to the slave pit of looking through filing cabinets. Wonderful. When that was done two hours later, Rowan had searching the entire corridor and had more waiting for her. She sighed and decided to take a break with a glass of whatever booze the Winchesters had in their kitchen. That sounded great.

Rowan walked into the kitchen and added up all the hours she had wasted, not finding anything useful. The man locked up would be more efficient, but she knew he was trouble. However, maybe if she paid attention and decided not to trust him at all, she'd be okay.

With her glass of whiskey, she walked the corridors, trying to find the right one. When she did, she marked it with an _X_. Of all the rooms she could search, this was the most important one. As she turned on the light, walking in, she could just imagine him smiling.

"Said you'd be back." he said and she grinned, taking a sip of her whiskey.

"Sadly, I'm just here to look for something. You think you're the only thing in this room?" she asked and began looking through the boxes on the shelves. More objects and files, but these seemed new, like cases the Winchesters had solved. It would be useful to read those, to better understand the brothers, but not at the moment.

"Cute. But I know you're here to speak to me." he said and she glanced at the door with a grin, searching through more boxes.

"Lonely much?" she asked and smiled as she approached the door, taking a sip of her whiskey.

"Who wouldn't in this place." he admitted, which she found interesting. "Now, let's get down to business. Why have the Winchesters brought you here?" he asked and she let out a sharp laugh.

"I'm not opening this door to free you." Rowan said, taking a sip of her whiskey. It was strong, but it tasted really good.

"Opening the door wouldn't free me." he said and she glanced at the door suspiciously. "I'm chained to a chair. Opening the door would just allow each other to speak face to face rather than to a door." He added and paused for a brief moment. "Wouldn't you want to know who you're speaking with?" he asked and she remained silent. "I certainly would love to know who that lovely voice belongs to." He concluded and she smiled.

"And how do I know you're telling the truth?" she asked, swirling the whiskey in her glass.

"Why would I lie about being chained to a chair?" he asked and she nodded, but it wasn't good enough. "Why lie when the truth can be much more terrifying?" he added and that was an interesting response. Rowan looked down at the huge lock and wondered if this was a smart move.

"I don't trust you." Rowan said and heard a soft chuckle.

"Smart girl." He replied and she found the compliment to be strange. "The mistake is in underestimating me." he added and that was even stranger. Why would he tell her this?

Because he wants her to trust him with the case in which the Winchester brought her to their bunker. He wants her to divulge the information so he could answer her questions, so he could get something from her. That was the dangerous part.

She contemplated this, feeling it would be good to use him, but she wondered if opening the door was all he really wanted. So, why not ask him.

"What is it you really want?" she asked him and he chuckled.

"What makes you think you have what I really want?" he asked and she found that to be a great question. Could she take the liberties in thinking that all he really wanted was to open the door?

Rowan was silent and so was he, knowing that she was considering it.

"What do you know about Jormungand?" she asked and he remained silent for a brief moment.

"What?" he asked, as if genuinely stunned. She hadn't expected that.

"The Norse serpent." Rowan specified.

"I know _that_." He replied and then was silent for a few seconds. "Is that why the Winchesters brought you home?" he asked and this was the point of no return. However, that point may have passed the second she asked about Jormungand.

"Yes." She replied, imagining a victorious grin on his face.

"Fascinating." He said and she knew he'd probably stop talking until she opened the door. Now he had even more information to use as bait. "You must share the details." He added and she eyed the door. It really would be better to open the door so he couldn't bait her.

Rowan glanced around the room for the key. She couldn't imagine the brothers having the key out in the open. She could search their rooms for the key or find something to pick the lock.

She turned and walked out of the room, opting for the latter. She walked back to the kitchen, searching for utensils long and narrow enough to pick the lock. She found a few skewers in the drawers and decided to give that a shot.

When she walked back into the room a few minutes later, with a refill of whiskey, she began picking the lock.

"And here I thought I lost you." He said and she snorted, knowing damn well that was a lie.

She could feel quite a few things in the lock, but twisting here and there didn't unlock the damned thing. It was taking way too long and, apparently, he thought so too.

"Couldn't find the key?" he asked.

"Do you want me to open the door or not?" she asked and returned to the lock, feeling something different and with one twist, the lock opened. "See? Patience is a virtue." She concluded and he gave out a soft chuckle.

Rowan took the lock and placed it on the shelf next to the door. She took the door handles and hesitated for a second, but pulled them open. They were a little heavy, but they opened just enough to walk in.

There, in the center of the room, was the strangest sight she had seen. Naturally, the snake was still number one, but this came close.

There was a table in front of him, this smirking man, looking like a businessman, chained _and_ handcuffed to a chair, all in the center of a giant ritualistic marking on the floor. She had never seen anything like it and the most unsettling thing was the way he was looking at her.

His eyes were dark, but it wasn't just the color. He looked cunning and something about him seemed sinister. Suddenly, she felt that tinkling at the back of her neck she had felt when she first walked into the bunker. All along, she was sensing him. Whatever he was, he wasn't normal. He was what she sensed was odd about the place.

"Hello, Darling." He said in that smooth rich voice, full of charm and pride. However, his voice washed over her, increasing her curiosity more than it should have. She seemed frozen in place, entranced by whatever she couldn't understand about him.


	10. Chapter 10

**New Friend**

Rowan reached for her glass of whiskey and entered the room. Apparently, standing where she was, he couldn't see her. When she entered the small room, stepping into the light above him, he could see her and his lips widened as they stared at each other.

"A lovely voice _and_ a lovely face." He said and seized her up, mostly her middle half. "What a nice change." He added and she took a sip of her whiskey. "Care to share?" he asked and she grinned as he eyed the glass.

"You're handcuffed." She said and he gave her a charming smile. She took another sip and mimicked his smile.

"What a tease." He said, his smiled turning into a grin.

"So, how are you useful to me?" she asked and his grin grew dark. She could assume he was a dangerous man, but that didn't seem to fit. He seemed like something much more… insidious.

"First, your name." he said and she arched an eyebrow at him.

"You first." She said, expecting him to pass the potato back to her, so to speak.

"Crowley." he replied. "Your turn." He added and she grinned.

"Rowan." She said and his grin turned into a dark smile. "Now, back to my question." She said. Apparently, he found this to be amusing. Oh joy.

"No doubt the Winchesters are interested in you." He said and she arched her eyebrow again. "Perhaps if you tell me how you met them." He added and she placed the glass on the table, which he immediately eyed.

"There was a giant snake, who they think could be Jormungand, terrorizing women at my college." Rowan began and Crowley grinned, as if there was something funny there. "They had tracked it and they believed it was after me. Then it found me and they killed it. They keep telling me that I spoke to it, but I don't remember that or anything else others found creepy about me. The Winchesters keep trying to make me remember." She concluded and Crowley's expression didn't change.

As he stared at her, Crowley felt there was something different about her. Now it made a bit more sense and the Winchester had caught on. However, they didn't have a clue. Crowley was going to beat them to it. He already had her opening up, revealing herself bit by bit.

"They haven't told me what I apparently told the snake." Rowan said and Crowley grinned.

"They're withholding information. It's what they do." he said, but then he seemed slightly puzzled. "However, if they haven't told you what you had apparently said, it could be they didn't understand." He said and now Rowan was the puzzled one. "Another language, perhaps." He concluded and Rowan frowned.

"I don't know another language." She said and Crowley gave her a small grin.

"What _have_ they told you?" he asked and she shifted from one foot to another, as if she was tired of standing. "My Dear, do sit down." He said, eyeing the corner of the table. Rowan hesitated, but did sit at the corner, turning towards him.

"They told me the myths of Jormungand, that he was one of three children that the Giantess Angroboda bore with Loki. His siblings were Fenrir the wolf and Hel the ruler of the dead." She replied, looking a little disappointed. "That's pretty much sums it up." She concluded and Crowley nodded.

"What about the snake? You said it terrorized women." He said and she nodded. "Then it came after you." He added, staring at her as if she should know what that means. She frowned, more or less saying that she didn't have a clue. "Did they have a theory?" he asked and she shook her head.

"Not one that they shared with me." Rowan said and his stare became less intense, but it seemed curious. "Dean said I spoke to that snake like Harry Potter." She added and Crowley grinned, finding that funny.

"He does love his pop culture." He said and she smiled in agreement.

"Why do they keep you chained up?" Rowan blurted, making Crowley grin with amusement. She expected him to deflect her question, but he suddenly became unpredictable. No wonder he said it was a mistake to underestimate him.

"Don't you have an idea of what I am?" he asked and she shook her head. "Don't they teach you anything at college?" he asked and she shook her head with a slight grin. "I'm a demon, Darling." He replied and she arched an eyebrow at him.

"A demon?" she asked and he smiled with pride.

"I know things and they know that I know and they want me to share what I know, but I won't, as you know." He said and she smiled, which he found amusing _and_ intriguing.

"Never would have imagined a demon being so witty." Rowan said and he sort of gave her a profile of his face, with a smile, and then twisted his hands palm up.

"I'm one of a kind." He replied and she let out a small laugh.

"Never would have imagined a demon looking the way you do, either." Rowan said and Crowley's smiled widened.

"Sadly, they don't come as pretty as me." he replied, which got her to laugh again. "We possess, Darling. Our true form is just a puff of smoke." He added and she nodded, finding that intriguing.

"Tell me more." She said, her eyes shining like an eager child for a bedtime story. Interesting.

"First, that glass of whiskey." He said and she arched an eyebrow at him. It seemed she was about to say something, but brushed it off. She stood up, grabbed the glass of whiskey and approached him. As he lifted his eyes up to her, he could see a mixture of suspicion and distrust in her eyes as she looked down at him.

She gently set the glass on his lips and raised it, allowing the amber liquid to slip into his mouth for a couple of seconds. She pulled the glass away and he smiled up at her.

"Exquisite." He replied and she leaned against the table, taking a sip of whiskey too.

"It's okay." She said and his smiled turned into a grin.

"Yes, the whiskey too, I suppose." He said and, as she lowered the glass from her lips, meeting his eyes with that suspicion.

Did he just say _she_ was exquisite?

"Now, if you must know more about me, I'm afraid a deal is in order." He added and she frowned at him.

"A deal?" she asked, puzzled.

"What are you willing to offer me?" he asked and her frown increased, that distrust strong in her eyes which seemed like a dark brown now. How odd. They were a light brown earlier. "Perhaps your most intimate details, however you wish to interpret that? Your time devoted to me, in conversation and whiskey? All of the above?" he added and her frown relaxed as a smile grew on her face. He thought a little wit would get her to relax.

"How about what goes on in this little room stays in this little room?" she asked and he arched an eyebrow with terrible curiosity. "What we share will be our secret which neither of us will share with Sam and Dean, even if its information they so desperately want." She added, as in to clarify, and his smiled turned sinister.

"Can't we wrap it up into one nice package?" he asked, dropping his eyes down to her body that was now so close to him.

"Play your cards right and it could be." Rowan said, her eyes becoming very dark, just before she resumed sitting at the corner of the table, away from him, drinking the whiskey.

"We haven't sealed our deal, Darling." Crowley said and she glanced at him with a slight smile, curious.

"And how do demons do that?" she asked and he smiled, puckering his lips. "A kiss? Really?" she asked and, despite her shock, her eyes were dark once again, like she enjoyed that idea.

"I would imagine all girls go weak at the knees, thinking of kissing a demon." Crowley said with a charming smile. Rowan let out a small laugh, still with that expression in her eyes. She very much wanted to kiss him. She stood up and walked over to him, that look in her eyes intensifying as he leaned over to him, placing her hands on his shoulders. Rowan brought her lips down on Crowley, sealing their deal, but in an instant, the kiss grew hard, full of hunger. Crowley decided to encourage this kiss in order to see what would happen.

Her hands flew up to his neck, her fingers soon entwined in his hair as she forced her tongue into his mouth, sucking the breath out of him. It was indeed a deep hunger, one that couldn't possibly come from a girl like Rowan. She then sat on his lap, wrapping her arms tight around his shoulders, pressing her lips hard against his, and then pulling them into her mouth with her tongue.

It was safe to say Crowley hadn't ever seal a deal quite like this.

When her hunger had been satisfied, she ended their kiss slowly, and then he caught his reflection in her eyes. They were no longer dark, but a sight he had never seen. Her irises were black while her pupils were a smoky gray, as if light were shining within. As he stared into her eyes, he saw Death. Not the Horseman, but the realm after Life, her realm.

In an instant, nearly as fast as it came, her eyes shifted back to a light brown and Rowan's cheeks turned a bright red. She jumped off his lamp and turned her back to him, embarrassed. It's no wonder she couldn't remember the strange things that happened to her. It was like she was two different people. And he had now seen both.

Rowan _and_ Hel.


	11. Chapter 11

**Brilliant Idea**

Rowan drank the rest of the whiskey as Crowley eased her embarrassment by not making a comment. She didn't remember that kiss heating up. What she did remember was, all of a sudden, she was sitting on his lap with her arms around his shoulders.

In order to have Hel surface once more, it would have to be when Rowan was aroused. If that should happen, he'd play along and encourage Hel to surface. Surely, that would lead her to remember or unlock what was hidden inside. Was Rowan a vessel? Or was she Hel with a memory loss? Those would be questions he would answer throughout their time together all while making her feel like she was the one getting answers to her questions.

"What would you like to know about me?" he asked, giving her what she had last wanted. She wanted to know more about him, he wanted the whiskey. They made a deal where they could share details and have a loyal relationship where Sam and Dean would have no part. This would also allow her to ease out of embarrassment.

"Um, anything." she said, still not facing him, still holding onto that empty glass.

"I was once human." Crowley said and Rowan slowly turned to look at him, confused. "Demons are the product of a human soul tortured in Hell, a process I call _Demonizing_." He added and she resumed sitting at the corner, her embarrassment gone.

"Wow, I thought demons were fallen angels." She said and he gave her a small grin.

"Once an angel, always an angel." he replied and watched her eyes shine like an eager child again. "I became a crossroads demon, making deals, and then I rose to the top. I crowned myself King of the Crossroad. Lucifer was let out of his cage by two morons you know, and then stuffed back into the cage by the same two morons." Crowley said, stopping there. He hadn't told Rowan he was King of Hell. He was actually going to keep that bit of information for later. If Rowan did come to realize who she was, and would naturally want to reclaim her kingdom, she might beat Abaddon to kill him in getting it.

Not only that, but if that was what she wanted, and he remained silent on being King of Hell, he could point her in Abaddon's direction. Then, all he would have to do is reassure her that her kingdom still belonged to her, but since it has changed so much, he could be her partner.

It was clever.

"Then?" Rowan asked with curiosity.

"Then it was a fight for the throne. Last I heard, Abaddon, a Knight of Hell, was winning." Crowley said, watching her eyes as they grew dark. He knew she wouldn't forget that name. His clever plan was going to work, as usual.

"Is Abaddon a –?" Rowan began asking, but Crowley cut her off with a much better therm.

"Complete bitch." He replied, which got her to smile. "Now, what about you?" he asked and Rowan pushed her hair away from her face, as if she'd rather not talk about herself.

"I was a foster child. Never knew my parents. I bounced from one house to another. I often got into trouble and, by high school, realized that if I didn't stop, I'd end up in JV." Rowan said, looking away as if this was embarrassing her. "Believe me, my life's pretty boring." She concluded, hinting that she didn't want to say anymore.

Crowley watched her, wondering if there were some painful events in her life that she didn't want to mention. Perhaps molested in her fosters homes? Perhaps taken advantage by peers or the authorities? It couldn't only be now that Hel had surfaced from time to time. However, that was something he'd have to discover at her convenience, not his.

There was a ringing in the room at that moment, startling Rowan. She pulled out her cell phone and gave a small smile, one where he noticed a hint of annoyance.

"Hi Sam." She said and he listened carefully to hear his voice. "I'm still fine." She added. Then, there was a shift in her expression. She was no longer annoyed, but slightly delighted. "Oh, okay." Rowan said, trying to sound a little disappointed, which Crowley saw right through as joy. "Well, see you in a few days." She concluded and clicked _End_ on her phone, placing it back in her pocket.

"Seems we have much time together." Crowley said and she glanced at him, not bothering to hide her smile.

"Yeah." She began. "So, back to the case." She added, which made Crowley grin. "What do you think the theory could be about why the snake was after me?" she asked, getting back to business.

Crowley could tell her exactly why Jormungand was after her, but she probably wouldn't believe him and it would be hitting her too hard with reality. Hel might surface and it might be too much for her to take. Thus, he decided to take it easy, to let her figure it out on her own where it might not come as such a shock.

"I'm not quite sure. Their endless resources say nothing?" he asked and she looked a little discouraged.

"I didn't exactly look through everything, but so far no." she replied, looking disappointed.

"Don't look so gloomy, Darling." Crowley said, getting her to look at him, not being able to fight a small smile spreading on her lips. "You'll find your answers." He concluded, encouraging her to continue, to take a break if she needed, and come back to him. He'd be waiting.

Rowan left the door open and unlocked, first going to the kitchen to grab something to eat. With the whiskey she drank, she needed something else in her stomach. Then, rather than dive back into the endless filing cabinets, she'd take a nap. For some reason, she felt tired.

Once she crawled into bed, her stomach full on a sandwich and an apple along with some chips, she closed her eyes and drifted to sleep. She felt herself get further away from her room in the bunker and drift into the darkness where it was unlike being awake. She was asleep and in the place where she dreamt.

Only there were no ordinary dreams here. She had seen this place before. It was a large cavern where pillars of sand colored stones formed a temple which seemed to bury itself in the black rocks. It was large and at the very end was a large foundation that rose above the floor, a throne sitting atop with pillars where designs of tormented souls were etched into the stone.

It was a magnificent place and it always made her comfortable to walk up to the throne.

Sometimes she'd see gatherings where she'd be sitting in the throne, looking at all the people before her. She should have been frightened at the sight of those people; flesh rotting off their bones, organs half falling out, but she was never terrified. These people looked up at her with admiration, sometimes fear.

Other times, the palace was empty like it was then.

Then, at that moment, a whisper passed by her ear, as if someone was standing behind her. She turned to see no one there, but that whisper sent a chill down her spine.

 _Hell._

It was a strange word to hear, but then a cold chill passed over her and the temple scenery changed to that night when the giant snake was staring intensely at her, flicking out its tongue.

 _Hell._ It hissed at her as it flicked out its tongue and that's what she had heard. _Hell._

Like she had in the temple embedded in the rocks of that cavern.

Rowan snapped her eyes open, as if suddenly woken up. She glanced around her room, trying to find out why she woke up. There was nothing out of the ordinary in her room. She checked her cell to find no messages or calls. She got out of bed to see no one else in the corridor. The music continued to play throughout the bunker, but it wasn't loud enough to wake her up.

So why had she suddenly waken from her sleep? Was she startled by her dream?

No. She was startled to have remembered something when faced with the giant snake. It said something to her, something only she had understood, apparently. Sam and Dean said she spoke to it, but said nothing about the snake talking. Crowley said maybe she spoke in another language where Sam and Dean couldn't understand. Much like an animal talking. Who would understand?

Rowan had to go back to Crowley, to tell him of her dream. Perhaps divulging too much information wasn't wise, but she didn't see a reason not to trust him. He was chained in the center of a symbol obviously meant for a demon and he was helpful to her. Not to forget to mention sweet.

Although she can't remember how she got on his lap, he no doubt saw her embarrassment and said nothing about it. He called her _Darling_. He was a demon, possessing the body of an older man, but she couldn't help but like him. There was something about him she found interesting, something that made her feel drawn to him. Maybe she liked that he was cunning or mysterious. Maybe she liked his voice or his expressions. Maybe it was everything.

Maybe it was that kiss.

Rowan could feel her cheeks heat up and her lips broaden in a smile. Her hands went to hide it all, as if she should be ashamed of herself. Only she didn't. She felt happy and rebellious. It was a good feeling and she enjoyed it.

So she found herself walking into the room where Crowley smiled darkly at the very sight of her.

"You wouldn't believe what I dreamt about." Rowan said as she stepped into the room with him.

"Me in a pink bathrobe?" he asked and she laughed at the very image in her head.

"No." she said with a smile.

"Good." He replied, which only made her laugh again. He smiled at her, as if he liked hearing her laugh. Maybe she wasn't the only one feeling good about all of this.

"I first had this recurring dream of a temple." She said and his eyes became intense as he listened, as if he found that interesting. "Then I heard someone whisper _Hell_. I hear it again, only the dream changes to my memory of the snake. I remember it hissing the word _Hell_ too." Rowan said, her eyes wide with fascination that she was able to remember something.

"Intriguing." Crowley said and she smiled, her eyes shining.

"I know." She said and sat at her usual corner of the table. "Do you know of Hell having any snakes like that? I keep thinking that it wanted to take me to Hell. I don't know why I think that." Rowan said and Crowley only narrowed his eyes, as if thinking. When she glanced at him, waiting for an answer, he softened his eyes and gave her a small grin.

"Only creatures in Hell are Hellhounds." He replied and she nodded her head.

"So maybe this snake really is Jormungand." She said and then her face lit up, as if she had figured it out. "Maybe it's looking for his sister, _Hel_." She said and then turned to Crowley with astonishment.

"Now, there's a theory, Love." Crowley said, which got her to shine a brilliant smile.

"Jormungand mistook me for his sister." She said and Crowley tried to maintain that small grin on his face.

"Quite the theory." He said and she looked so proud of herself. "It seems we need whiskey to celebrate this breakthrough." He added and she let out a soft giggle, as if in agreement. She jumped off the table and walked with an air of happiness. Crowley watched her leave the room, talking to herself as she headed to the kitchen, calling herself a genius.

Crowley exhaled and rolled his eyes.

"Bullocks." He murmured. "So close yet so far." He added as he tapped the arms of the chair with his fingers. It seemed she hadn't figured it out.

 **So, when Crowley told Rowan he hoped she didn't dream about him in a pink bathrobe, that's actually my dream I put in there for a laugh. I had like a sequence of dreams about Crowley, but that's about the only one I remember. He was trying to be snarky and I couldn't take him seriously in that bathrobe.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Have a Drink**

Rowan grabbed two glasses, a straw that she stuck in her pocket, and the bottle of whiskey, feeling incredible that she remembered such a detail. A part of her should feel horrified that she could hear the snake talk, like Harry Potter, she realized. Suddenly, Dean's comparison seemed fair. She had a conversation with a snake like only a Slytherin can.

Then, the need to celebrate didn't seem so fun anymore.

Rowan slowed her walking on her way back to Crowley, nearly standing still in the corridor as she wondered about her theory. If the snake was Jormungand, and it thought she was his sister, why did she understand him so clearly?

Then again, maybe she confused her memory with her dream.

However, it was the first time she heard the word _Hell_ being whispered to her in a dream. That's because she finally remembered something that really happened.

Rowan continued walking and when she turned into the room, she met Crowley's eyes with the uncertainty that was stirring inside her. He caught on and when she set the whiskey on the table, he seemed sympathetic.

"What's with the sad look, Darling?" he asked and it took her a few seconds to straighten her thoughts before speaking.

"If I heard the snake, then that can't mean a case of mistaken identity." She said, looking at the whiskey because she couldn't meet Crowley's dark intense eyes. She couldn't understand why he was looking at her that way. "Jormungand came after me because I'm the person he was trying to find." She added and when she finally had the courage to look into his eyes, he seemed surprisingly understanding. "Maybe what I was hearing wasn't _H-E-_ double- _L,_ but _H-E-L._ Maybe they were calling me the Ruler of the realm of the dead." Rowan said, her eyes becoming distant as she thought this out loud.

Crowley could see that Rowan was finally figuring it out, but he wouldn't confirm it just yet.

"All we have are theories." He said calmly. "The answers will come to _you_." Crowley added and Rowan just stared at him, connecting the dots, it would seem.

"You mean I might understand more with my dreams?" she asked and he gave a slight shrug of the shoulders.

"Possibly." He replied and then dropped his eyes to the whiskey. "All I know is we need a drink." He said and she smiled, despite the confusion clouding her mind and her mood.

"I'll agree on that one." She said and began to pour the liquid into both glasses, taking out a plastic straw from her pocket. Crowley's eyebrow knitted together as he stared at that straw. Rowan walked around the table, placing his glass into his left hand, holding up the straw as to make it easier for him.

"A straw?" he asked when he lifted his eyes up to her, despite his serious tone, she smiled.

"I can't keep holding up your whiskey to your lips." She said and then he grinned.

"Why not? You enjoyed it as much as I." he replied and her smile turned into a smirk.

"Just suck up your whiskey." She said and smiled as he did sip his drink through a straw. Instead of returning to her corner, she decided to sit at the corner next to him. If Rowan was still bothered by her realization a minute ago, she brushed it away with whiskey. Crowley watched her nearly drink her entire glass. It was clear she was drowning her concerns with the amber liquid.

What would come next should be interesting.

"Have you eaten yet?" he asked and she shook her head, drinking the rest of her whiskey and leaning over to grab the bottle. "You might want to do that, Darling." He added, watching her refill her glass.

"It's not my first time drinking, Crowley. Plus I ate before I slept." she said as she took another sip. He watched her, doubting that as she wasn't drinking on an empty stomach. When she met his eyes, she didn't seem to appreciate him staring at her.

"Quite the party girl." He said and a smile slowly crept on her face, chasing away her dark mood.

"I was never into parties." She said and he mocked a stunned expression.

"I can't believe that." He said and her smile widened as she let out a small laugh.

"I often got invited, by guys mostly, but it's all the same. They just want to get you drunk so they can sleep with you." Rowan said, taking another sip of her whiskey. Crowley just found the whole situation interesting. If she kept drinking like that, she would be drunk, and despite her confidence to remain sober, drunk is exactly what he expected. Might make Hel surface for sure.

"Fools. They chose the wrong girl." Crowley said and watched her smile twitch into a grin.

"Actually, they chose right, but it was me getting them drunk." Rowan said and Crowley's lips tightened into a dark grin.

"Ah, you devious little thing." He said and she grinned with pride, looking at him with a dark glimmer in her eyes.

"When I want to be." She said and he seized her from head to toe.

"I can only imagine." He said and she let out a small laugh, her cheeks blushing as he sipped her whiskey.

After Rowan refilled her glass for the third time, Crowley could see the whiskey taking affect on her thin frame of a body. She was more relaxed on the table, letting her leg brush up against his knee, talking about the times she had taken advantage of the drunken college boys, giggling darkly.

It was when she was literally laid back on the table that Crowley knew she was nearing drunk.

"I never slept with them, if that's what you're thinking." Rowan said, slurring her words a little as she spoke. "I just got them drunk and one time, I got the guy to make out with his poster of Jessica Simpson." She added and giggled. Crowley watched as she sat back up, pushing her hair back, her shirt a little off her shoulder.

"Out of curiosity, why bother?" he asked her and she looked at him, letting out a laugh.

"They were scum. Why not?" she asked and he grinned at her response.

"Agreed, but what happened beforehand?" he asked and her good mood faded as she frowned at his question.

"What are you saying? That I have an issue with guys? That being placed in so many different homes where the boys would touch me at night makes me distrust all men? I got moved around because the mothers feared me. Their innocent boys would scream at night because I was scary. Their hubbies would scream at night because I was scary." Rowan said, not seeming to understand that she just revealed her darkest secrets unintentionally. "You don't know what you're saying." She concluded.

"They were scum." Crowley replied and she nodded, lifting her glass up in a toast.

"Exactly." She said, taking a gulp. "To the scumbags that mysteriously died after I left." She said and took another gulp of her whiskey. Crowley cocked his head, replaying those words in his mind. Hel must have always been a part of her, surfacing when she was angry or lustful, as Crowley had experienced the latter.

Crowley took a sip through his straw, until she took his glass away from him, placing it on the table, her eyes locked on him with that dark glimmer.

"I wasn't done with that, Love." Crowley said, but her eyes revealed only one thing on her mind. It was made clear when her eyes locked on his lips. Crowley allowed her to fulfill her desires, as he knew this would make Hel surface, where he could find some answers.

Rowan came down, pressing her lips hard against his, pushing his lips apart in another breath-sucking lustfully hungry kiss. She sat on his lap again, but it was different this time. She straddled him and her hands weren't clutching to the back of his neck, keeping him locked in their kiss. Rowan's hands undid the buttons of his suit jacket, pushing it away so she could work on his pants.

She pulled his belt, loosening it, and when that was done, undid the button on his pants.

Crowley pulled away from her kiss, although he didn't have much space. He had to turn his head away, breaking their kiss, which caused an angry flare in her dark eyes.

"Rowan." He said calmly, but her hands flew up to his face, bringing him back into their deep kiss. Crowley tried to break away, but she held his face firmly, flicking her tongue into his mouth. She was making it clear that she would have what she wanted.

This wasn't Rowan.

Crowley managed to turn his face, breaking away. Before she could latch onto him again, he uttered a one syllable word he was certain would stall her.

"Hel." He said calmly, like a whisper, and watched out of the corner of his eye to see she had remained still. He turned to face her and there, her eyes were dark with smoky gray pupils; the eyes of Hel.

She radiated a low pulse of power, as if she was still hidden deep within the small body of the girl known as Rowan. Her eyes burned into him, as if she could see beyond his vessel, or he imagined she could if her strength was fully restored.

"Look into me, demon, and see your Ruler." She spoke with a rich sultry voice, a voice that didn't belong to Rowan, or so it seemed.

That stalled her long enough, but it wasn't his lips she craved. She buried her face in his neck, her warm moist tongue licking his skin, over his jawbone, up to his cheek, where she placed a hot gentle kiss.

"Are you Rowan or are you _in_ her?" Crowley said and when she pulled away from him, cocked her head, eyebrows knit together in confusion. He could see a searching in her eyes, like Hel too forgot. She didn't know how to answer that question.

Crowley had found his answer.

Rowan is Hel, the Ruler of the dead, with a bad case of amnesia.

And he was going to help her remember.


	13. Chapter 13

**A Little Tipsy**

Once again, as quickly as it happened, Hel vanished and Rowan the not-so-drunk-after-all girl emerged, jumping off of him and bumping into the table so hard that the bottle of whiskey nearly toppled off the table. It would have been a shame to have that shatter on the floor, but it might have damaged the Devil's Trap.

"Oh my God." Rowan mumbled as her hand flew up to her mouth, backing away from Crowley, avoiding looking at him. She nearly stuck herself in the corner of the room as if she wanted to hide in the shadows.

"Rowan." Crowley said calmly, but she shook her head.

"I did horrible things." She said and he knew she was referring to the ones that laid their hands on her in those foster homes.

"To people who deserved no less." Crowley replied and she remained silent. After a brief moment, she slowly turned towards him, lifting her guilty eyes to him, to take comfort in his understanding eyes.

"And those college boys?" she asked, her eyes glistening as if tears were forming.

"Who saw fit to use you." Crowley replied, reassuring her that she did the right thing. Rowan seemed to calm down, believing that she did in fact do the right thing. At then her eyes shifted into horror as her eyes dropped to the waistband of his pants.

"Oh, what did I do?" she asked and turned away. Crowley was certain she couldn't see since she was in the corner and the table was pretty close to him. He was certain she was remembering bits of what Hel had done in her moment of heated desire. No doubt she was embarrassed.

"What do you remember?" Crowley asked her and she remained silent, as if she didn't want to remember. Her shoulders were tense and she continued to face the walls. He watched her, expecting her to answer after a few seconds, but she didn't. "Rowan." He said and she turned to him, a mild fury in her eyes.

"Is that who I am?" she asked and it was clear she remembered everything. In that moment, because of her confusion and that small amount of rage dancing in her dark eyes, he could see that no matter what name, she was a girl confused. He'd even go as far as to say a girl lost in her own identity. "Everything seems to suggest I'm Hel." She added with anger in her voice. No, not anger; but resentment. It was as if the snake, those moments she forgot and her dreams took away her normal life.

"Who are you?" he asked and the question seemed to catch her off guard. She stared blankly at him, but he could see a mixture of confusion and fear. In just a short time, Rowan no longer knew who she was. She wanted to answer, but the words wouldn't come out. "You don't know." He said calmly, watching as she reluctantly nodded her head.

"I don't understand anything." she said, casting her eyes to the floor. Crowley could imagine that since Jormungand appeared, nothing had been the same. All those years of forgetting what happened when Hel emerged until the Norse serpent came to find her, thrust into a place where she realized the impossible was real; where she met a demon that brought Hel and her memories to the surface.

"You will in time." Crowley replied softly and Rowan began to calm down.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked, her question surprising him.

"Will the Winchesters?" he asked and she approached, her eyes narrowing. She was calm, but her eyes revealed a hint of anger.

"That's not what I had asked." She said, standing by the side of the table, staring down at him. "You're a demon. I might be Hel. Clearly you stand to gain something." She added and Crowley could have agreed. Yes, he stood to gain an ally against Abaddon, but she was still too shocked and confused to let her know she was right. He wasn't going to lie to her; he was just going to reassure her that she could still trust him.

"I wouldn't take advantage, if that's what you think." Crowley said and she seemed slightly stunned. She looked away and nodded her head. "Remember our deal? We divulge details in secrecy. You knew the Winchesters were withholding information. I'm knowledgeable and useful. Together, we'll unearth this mystery." He added and she nodded her head as if convincing herself this was true. "I stand to gain some company as a captive, as you remember." He concluded and she let a soft smile appear on her face.

"I'm sorry." She spoke so softly, Crowley wasn't sure he heard correctly. It's a first that someone apologizes to _him_. When she met his eyes, she was calm without any hint of anger or fear. Not even confusion showed on her face.

"Now Darling, could you help me with my belt?" he asked and a laugh escaped her, even if she tried to hold it in with her hand.

"Sorry about that too." She said and approached, her cheeks turning red with embarrassment. She leaned over at a comfortable distance and fastened his button and his belt. She even went as far as doing up his suit jacket, adjusting his tie with a softness in her eyes. "There you go." She added, that softness revealed in her voice which was almost as sultry as when Hel spoke.

"You have a tantalizing touch." He said and she met his eyes with a small smile. Rowan turned to grab his glass of whiskey with his plastic straw, and then the bottle to refill it, nearly empting the bottle. She placed it in his hand and grinned at him.

"Suck up your whiskey." She said and walked out of the room, clearly to get some fresh air and probably some food as he had advised her before she began drinking.

As soon as Rowan stepped out of that room, walking down the hall, she could feel the whiskey taking its numbing hands off of her. She could think more clearly and, to her horror, remember kissing Crowley, her hands going to open his pants. The fact that she was trying to have intercourse with a bound demon made her almost stop and look for a mirror so she could see her reflection. Would she recognize herself?

She should feel appalled at what she had done, but in all honesty, it had her smiling.

In order to have nearly taken advantage of Crowley, there had to be some attraction to him. Rowan knew it was true. However, how could she be attracted to him? The man he possessed was old enough to be her father and he had a receding hairline. But it wasn't physical attraction. She liked Crowley's personality, the things he said and the way he said it.

And she found the fact he was bound in chains to be a little fun.

Rowan walked into the kitchen, raiding the fridge, stuffing her face with leftover Chinese she found near the back. There was a date written in Sharpie on the box. It was just a few days and it looked perfectly fine.

As soon as she felt full, she remained in the kitchen, thinking as the music continued to play throughout the sound system. It was soft and comforting which was nice considering the whirlpool of crazy she got sucked into. She couldn't go back into that room with Crowley, not until she was certain of what she knew.

What if the Winchesters thought she could be Hel? Is that why they were trying to get her to remember?

There was only one way to find out and this time she wasn't going into Sam's room to watch TV.

Once Rowan walked into his room, she scanned his room for a place where he might leave information. She pulled open some drawers and began investigating. His nightstand by his bed contained some photos of people. Judging by the age of the photos, they were people from his past. One of the photos was of a blond woman holding a baby while an older little boy stood next to them. Another was a man with two little boys. Then, the next one was clearly Sam, but with a young blond, both in a cute pose together.

At that moment, she felt a little bad going through Sam's things. Those pictures had to have been his family, where Dean was all he had left.

She glanced around the room and although Sam had added a few things to make it his own, it wasn't quite home without the ones you love.

Rowan walked out of his room, unable to search through his things. She glanced down the hallway at Dean's door and considered that she might be able to search his room without difficulty. However, despite his hard exterior, he might have things like photos kept hidden to reveal a painful past.

Rowan sighed and walked to his door, opening it to find that his room had more personal touches, like he thought of this place as home. She scanned his room and began with his nightstand table. Inside was a mess of things, but one object caught her eye. It was a brown leather bound journal with a strip of leather to tie around it.

She pulled it out and opened it, finding a name inside. John Winchester. Perhaps their father. Rowan flipped through the pages to find entries indicating different monsters John had killed while he was on the hunt for something much more important.

Like father like sons.

Rowan flipped to the end to see if John had filled out the entire journal or if Dean had continued it. Well, according to the handwriting and the empty pages, it was strictly John. She placed the journal back in the drawer and searched throughout his room, eventually finding a stack of Busty Asian Beauties in his sock drawer.

Disgusting.

Rowan left the room, unable to continue. It was clear that the brothers didn't leave traces of their thoughts in their rooms.

So, onto another bright idea that could get her some answers. The only other way was through dreams. Rowan returned to the kitchen, looking through the drawers for some sleeping pills, but couldn't find anything. Next was to go to the bathroom, looking in the medicine cabinet that was, surprisingly, filled with pill bottles.

And sleeping pills.

Rowan popped a few and swallowed them dry which didn't taste as good, but it worked. Then, glancing at the shower, she decided she really needed one.

She walked back to her room, grabbing some clean clothes, admittedly a shirt that would reveal her femininity, and walked back to the bathroom. She placed it all on the sink, along with her cell phone, and the clothes she was wearing fell to the floor. A few towels were already on the rack next to the shower and the water came out warm. No waiting.

Rowan stepped under the shower head, letting the hot water fall over her. There were only manly shampoos and conditioners, not to forget the soap, but it was better than nothing. At least she wouldn't smell like whiskey and Chinese food.

As the water washed over her, she thought of the large snake, the fact that it could have been calling her _Hel_. She thought of the temple she had often seen in her dreams, the whisper that may have been calling her _Hel_. She thought to her make-out session with Crowley and, when she was getting rough, how he called her _Hel_. That she remembered, but she didn't tell Crowley that she knew. He might have told the truth when he said he had gained her company, but she knew deep inside that she couldn't quite trust him. He's a demon; it seemed stupid to trust him regardless of his help and friendship, if she could call it that.

It would seem she's Hel, Ruler of the realm of the dead.

But she felt like Rowan McKinley.

After about twenty minutes of standing under the hot water, thinking about everything she's come to learn, she could feel the heaviness of those sleeping pills. She turned off the water and dried herself and her hair. Looking at herself in the mirror, she wasn't really sure if she still was Rowan McKinley. She appeared to be the same, but nothing was the same.

Rowan got dressed, looking at her shirt in the mirror. Yeah, it was clear that she was attracted to Crowley if she was trying to show off her assets. She hurried up before she was too tired and collapsed on the floor. She left the towels and her clothes, walking back to her bedroom so she could sleep.

The second her head hit the pillow, her eyes closed and she fell into a deep slumber.


	14. Chapter 14

**Realm of Dreams**

It was a basement bedroom the family had in case they had guests or if they ever decided to take in foster children. It wasn't the best, but it wasn't so bad either. The washing machine was never turned on at night, but there were no windows to allow in natural light. Things were alright in that house, all except for the fourteen year old boy that would visit her during the night in the basement.

He'd say he couldn't sleep and talk with her, mostly talking about his comic books and school. They would laugh and play together while everyone else was asleep.

It was fine at first, but then he'd play too roughly and the last straw was when he had tried to touch her chest. She was eleven; it's not like she had much going on there.

She pushed him away with great offense and told him to get out. She vaguely remembered that, but now she relived it, especially what had happened. Her voice was different and the boy was scared as she glared at him, anger filling her. He decided to be brave, to let his older body's strength conquer her little frame. When he reached out, she gripped his wrist tightly in her hand, squeezing so hard he had begged her to stop.

Through her glare and her rage, she gave him a cold smile and told him that bad boys don't get very far in life. She released him and laughed as he ran back upstairs.

The next day he told his mother, but he also lied. He said _she_ was in _his_ room and for that, her anger returned. At the moment, the mother was lecturing her about appropriate and non-appropriate things, which confused her. She had denied any of that ever happening and the mother got mad, punishing her with a spanking.

Later that day, when no one was looking, she glared at that boy. That had been a memory she had forgotten, but now she was reliving it. She watched as the boy trembled, then fell to the floor screamed, holding his head in his hands.

His parents quickly called the social worker and wanted her out because she was a dangerous child. They were convinced she had thrown something at their precious boy. As soon as she left, a couple of days later, their son had died of a brain aneurism.

The images shifted, unlocking another forgotten memory.

It was a pink bedroom, filled with beautiful happy things. The parents were happy and wished her a goodnight full of happy dreams. They had a baby and she was the only child who they could take shopping and spoil her. It was a great place to be and she was very happy.

Only it didn't stay like that.

One night, the father came into her room, saying he had heard her whimpering in her sleep. That had been a lie, but he hadn't harmed her. She let him comfort her, tell her a story, and she fell back asleep as he watched over her.

That continued for a few things now and then, until it wasn't enough.

He too tried to touch her then thirteen year old body; his hand cautiously going down her pajama bottoms. She glared at him, shouting at him to stop and to get out of her room. As he looked up into her eyes, he seemed afraid of what he had seen. Perhaps it was a cold glare and a vicious snarl.

The wife then came in and was adamant it was just a bad dream. Of course it was, because she didn't remember the father touching her. He was very happy about that and told his wife she was having a night terror, probably because her last foster home was so horrible.

There were more nights just like that where he tried to touch her. Every time she'd threaten him and his wife would stress over these supposed night terrors. The father was determined to get his way, but her last threat really frightened him. If he laid a hand on her again, his wife and child would be cast into the realm of the dead where their flesh would burn for his crime.

He tried to tell his wife they could no longer help her night terrors; her dreams were becoming violent. But the wife was just as determined to help the poor child.

The night was about to become more terrifying, as her husband was the one to get bad dreams. The next morning she discovered him in the kitchen, apparently he had suffered a major stroke while making breakfast.

The images shifted, onto another hidden memory.

The night was loud and humid, as the house was full of partying young adults given complete freedom as they began their journey of education and careers. She walked in with some friends from her previous college. She nearly forgot that she had transferred to Maple City.

She got a drink and met some new people, boys her friends had introduced. They liked her and played beer bong as a way to determine who could spend the night getting to know her. The winner emerged and told her he knew where they could go to have a quite conversation.

His room.

He brought along some bottles of beer and they talked and laughed. It seemed alright, but she knew something was about to happen. She was old enough to know that when scenarios like this fell upon her, it ended badly for the other person. She was also old enough to see people's true intentions although they masked it well.

Thus she got him drunk. She remembered those memories, but not this one where he tried to kiss her and she pushed him away. It happened so quickly, but the pain to her face stunned her into a sudden fit of rage. He had fought back, determined to get what he wanted from her and being drunk made him all the more violent.

She screamed and when he met her eyes, he froze. She could see a light reflecting in his eyes just before he fell to the floor, clutching his chest, unable to breathe.

No one could hear them through the loud music and the roaring laughter of the crowd.

His heart was giving out on him and she left his room. She walked through the crowd and one of her friends tried to stop her, until they met her eyes. They seemed startled and released her.

That guy had been taken to the hospital for a mysterious heart attack that forever changed him.

The images changed, sending her to her peaceful place. The temple built into the cavern walls. It was once again empty, but the silence and the air were comforting. It was a sense of home much like being in the bunker was for Sam and Dean.

A breeze swirled around her, yet again carrying a whisper to her ear.

 _Hel._

This time she knew it was a name for a death deity and not a name for a place of torment.

 _Helheim welcomes you again._

She turned around, seeing no one and as she turned again, the image shifted to her night at the Maple City sonority house. Jormungand was coiled on the lawn, warning the hunters to stay back. His eyes locked on her, his tongue flickering out of his mouth, hissing his words to her.

 _Hel, my dear sister. It has been too long._

 _Jormungand, brother, is it you? Where is Fenrir? Where is father?_

 _Father is dead._

She could hear Veronica talking to her, turning her away from Jormungand as the hunters shot at him. She turned and witnessing his death sent her into a state of shock, instantly forgetting what had happened.

She turned away and then relived the moment she straddled Crowley, kissing him and refusing to let him out of her kiss. Her hands wanted to unleash his sexual desire that she knew was hidden deep. He fought against this idea and summoned her as he called her name.

Yes, he knew who she was and his eyes, those dark glimmering eyes, suggested that he was pleased to be in her presence. She could see through him, see the demonic essence within; that crimson shade of power. She had never seen something quite like him before. He was powerful and staring into him intrigued her.

Then, the image of Crowley changed and she felt as if she was falling, and then pulled into a memory she had long forgotten.

Her father, Loki.

He was a magnificent God with mischievous eyes. He stroked her cheek, his eyes seeming sad. She had never seen him sad. He kissed her forehead and whispered something to her, but everything had become blurry. She could feel herself slipping away from him. She tried to fight against the courant that was pulling her away, but then couldn't remember what she was fighting for.

Rowan bolted upright in bed, breathing hard, her eyes wide opened as her head throbbed with a headache. All those memories flooding back towards her, especially the last one. Her father, Loki, must have done something to make her forget everything.

It made no sense. She was a full grown woman when her father kissed her forehead and then she was a little girl in the modern world. How was that even possible?

Rowan swung her legs to the side of her bed, rubbing her face. She wasn't tired, but her head was pounding. She glanced at her clock and her mouth dropped open. She vaguely remembered what time it was when she took those sleeping pills, but was she correct in calculating a nearly ten hour sleep?

Rowan quickly got out of her room, feeling her pockets for her cell phone. It was safely tucked away in her pocket and when she pulled it out, there were no text messages or missed calls. She exhaled with relief, but then realized that there were only a couple more days until the Winchesters returned. She didn't have much time to uncover everything. She was remembering memories of unthinkable power against those that harmed her and then of Loki. She was dreaming of what she knew to be Helheim, the realm of the dead. She remember what Jormungand had said and now, she seemed very certain of one thing.

She was Hel.

But there were still so many unknown facts and there was only one friend that could help her understand everything.

Rowan walked down the hall to where Crowley was chained up.


	15. Chapter 15

**Gratitude**

Rowan walked into the room and Crowley smiled at her, his eyes dark and that smile which was charming in a sinister manner. The closer she walked towards him, the more his eyes glimmered. He was honestly happy to see her.

"I was afraid you didn't want to be friends anymore." He said, his smile shifting into a slight smirk. Rowan couldn't help but smile a little.

"Afraid no one would refill that glass, you mean?" she asked as she pointed at the glass in his hand. His smirk grew and he shook around the straw still in the glass.

"Whiskey is not the center of our friendship, Chickadee." Crowley said and she frowned at the new pet name, although she couldn't fight a smile from growing on her face. "Did I say something amusing?" Crowley asked, still with a smirk.

"You often give pet names to women?" Rowan asked as she sat at the corner closest to him.

"Just the special ones." He replied, his smirk slightly sinister. "So, what were you up to? A shower, I see. You smell… butch" he asked, his smirk dialing down to a calm smile.

"It's not like Sam and Dean have _Strawberry and Cream_ body wash." Rowan replied, taking his glass and placing it on the table. "I was sleeping for hours thanks to some little helpers." She added and Crowley cocked his head a bit as she met his eyes.

"And your dreams?" he asked, his eyes slightly intense as he waiting to hear.

"Mind blowing." Rowan said and then stood up, stepping directly in between Crowley and the table, placing her posterior on the edge of the table and then leaning her face closer to him, her hands between her knees. He arched an eyebrow, not certain what she was trying to accomplish. "Crowley, when you look into my eyes, what do you see?" she asked and he seemed surprised. "Who do you see?" she added, watching as he intensely stared at her.

"Chickadee," Crowley began, seeming to think she had a preference to that particular pet name. "I see Rowan. Those light brown eyes, like honey and chocolate. I see you're conflicted with who you are and who you could be." He added and watched as she gave him a slight smile.

"What do you see when I act differently?" she asked and his expression remained the same as he stared at her.

"Your eyes are like a black velvet sky and a full moon half covered by gray clouds. I see power and confidence." He said and she stared at him, searching for something. By then, he knew she was one step closer than he had realized. "I see Hel." He concluded and she stood up straight, nodding as she looked off into the darkness of the room.

"I don't understand everything I've seen in my dreams." Rowan said, hoisting herself up, sitting on the table in front of him.

Crowley found it interesting how she sat closer to him the more she discovered about Hel. He knew things were working out well.

Rowan looked at him, looking slightly confused.

"I got back some of my forgotten memories. Some experiences I had in foster homes and the way I made them die or suffer. I also saw the time I had turned the tables on this college boy, and then the temple that I've often dreamt. Someone was there and said 'Helheim welcomes you again'." Rowan said, watching how attentively he was listening, how comforted that made her feel. "I even remember my conversation with Jormungand. He said our father was dead and then I had a dream about him." she said and her eyes softened with a hint of sadness. "The last thing my father did was kiss my forehead. I think that's when I started to forget everything." Rowan concluded as the hint of sadness was replaced with confusion.

"Weren't you a busy little bird." Crowley said and her eyes hardened, as if that annoyed her. "I wasn't certain if Hel was using you as her vessel or if you truly were _her_." he added, taking it that she wanted to get down the business.

"What?" she asked, her face scrunching up in confusion. "Her vessel?" Rowan asked.

"Possession." Crowley clarified and continued with his secret theory, seeing as how it probably would be better to tell her. It would appear she may have a slight trust issue. "I then learnt that you are Hel, only someone took your memory. Your father, so it seems." He added and she nodded her head, more content with his compliance.

"Loki." She said and Crowley's lips twitched into a small grin. He supposed she should know the truth.

"He was also known as Gabriel." He said and she glanced at him, eyebrows knit together in a clear confusion. "Quite a long story; I hope you have nothing planned for the day." Crowley added and her confusion shifted into condemnation of his little witty comment. He lost the grin. "Gabriel was an Archangel and he left home when there was too much fighting amongst his brothers Lucifer and Michael." He said and she arched an eyebrow as if she wasn't sure he was serious.

"Angels?" she asked and now it was his turn to look at her with discontent.

"Try to keep up, Darling." He said and she frowned. "Gabriel left and decided to hang with a much more vibrant crowd and became Loki." He added and Rowan's frown fell with confusion. "Gabriel is your father." He concluded and she gave her head a slight shake.

"My father's actually an Archangel?" Rowan asked and Crowley nodded casually. "Wouldn't that make me half angel?" she asked and he nodded yet again. "Wouldn't you have noticed right away?" she asked and he narrowed his eyes slightly.

"What exactly was your mother? A giantess I hear." He said and Rowan looked confused, an expression she wore often, come to think of it.

"I don't know exactly. What does that mean anyway?" she asked and he shrugged his shoulders.

"Perhaps you didn't inherit as much from your father." Crowley said and Rowan shook her head.

"Doesn't matter." She replied and looked down at the floor beneath her feet. "The thing is, I'm Hel with a memory like Swiss cheese because my father Loki, slash, Gabriel decided to take it away from me for some stupid reason." Rowan concluded, sounding certain this was the truth they had unearthed.

"If there's anything I know about Gabriel is that everything he did was calculated and for a reason." Crowley replied, getting her to lift up her head to meet his eyes. "Unfortunately, I don't have the answer to that." He added and she gave a small smile.

"Thanks, Crowley." Rowan said softly. That too was a first for him; someone was genuinely expressing gratitude for his help. "I don't think I would have gotten this far with Sam and Dean, especially not on my own." She added and pushed herself off the table, leaning close to him to place a tender grateful kiss on his cheek. Rowan then pulled back and simply stood against the table.

"You enjoy kissing me, don't you?" he asked and she let out a soft laugh.

"My way of saying thanks." She said, smiling at him.

"Yes, I've noticed." He replied, getting her to laugh, and then kicking his foot.

"That wasn't exactly me." she said defensively, getting him to flash a dark grin. "I'm still figuring everything out." she added and he nodded with a slight smile.

At that moment, her cell phone began ringing. She pulled it out of her pocket and placed it to her ear.

"Hey Sam." She said, trying to sound cheery. "Oh really?" she asked, trying to sound happy, but her facial expression revealed a hint of panic. "Oh, that's good. Can't wait. It's been awfully lonely." She added, looking at Crowley with a shocked look on her face that made him want to grin, only it might get him another kick to his foot. "Okay, see you." Rowan concluded, putting her phone back into her pocket. "Son of a bitch." She said in a harsh whisper.

"Referring to me?" he asked and she looked up sharply at him, frowning.

"What?" she asked him.

"My mother really was a bitch." Crowley clarified and she shook her head as if to shake off the hint of irritation she was feeling.

"Sam and Dean are coming back sooner than they expected. Their friend Kevin is fine." Rowan said, pushing her hair back, which only made her chest puff out a bit as she inhaled, then exhaled, with frustration. Crowley looked at her chest, and then back at her eyes that were off into the corner of the room.

"Did they say what was wrong with their friend, Kevin?" Crowley asked and she shook her head.

"They don't tell me if they think I'm Hel; what makes you think they'll tell me about someone else?" she asked and Crowley gave a slight nod, finding that to be accurately true. "This means I don't have much time left to figure it out. You won't be able to help me anymore because we weren't supposed to be talking to each other." Rowan said, worry filling her eyes as she looked at him.

"Chickadee, relax." He said and her eyes sharpened with irritation.

"No one likes to be told to relax." She snapped, although her tone sounded calm.

"What I mean to say, Love, is don't fret; we have time." Crowley corrected himself. Rowan's expression softened, but she seemed doubtful. She was silent for a brief moment, just staring at him, as if not sure how to voice her concerns. "What do you want to do?" he asked her and she clenched her jaw, as if she had come to a decision.

"I feel like I have a split personality." Rowan replied with a slightly forced smile. "Let's see if I can reconcile the two." She added, joining Crowley in a smile.


	16. Chapter 16

**Wonderstuck**

If it had been up to the Winchesters, they'd probably decide it best that she don't remember her true identity after all, since they weren't exactly friends with her father and they had had their fair share of conflicts with deities. If they could spare themselves from facing another, they would.

"Well, what would be most helpful?" Crowley asked with a slight grin on his face. Rowan eyed him suspiciously, and then she grinned at him, crossing her arms over her chest.

"And you say _I_ enjoyed kissing you." She said and his grin broke out into a dark smile. "I think you enjoyed it more, especially when I got handsy." She added, watching the glimmer in his eyes like he was admitting to it.

"I'd like even better to be out of these chains. Then you'd be the one wondering what came over you." Crowley said and she seemed uncertain whether to grin or panic a little. Having a demon chained and bound was safe, but to have him released from his bindings sounded a little frightening.

"Is that your way of saying you like me?" Rowan asked and he gave her a slight grin as he cocked his head a bit.

"Especially when you get handsy." He replied, which made her laugh. He rather enjoyed watching her laugh. There were creases in the corner of her eyes when she laughed and she seemed happy. Then, her light brown eyes seem to shine as she laughed. Exceptional.

Damn. He did like her. Well, she was much better company than the Winchesters.

"If I got all handsy with you bound, wouldn't that constitute as rape?" Rowan asked him and he grinned at her as she smiled, an air of discomfort around her. "Yeah, change of subject." she said and walked around the table, about to leave. "So, I'm going to grab a bite. I'll be back in a few minutes." She concluded, smiling over her shoulder, and leaving the room.

Crowley watched her leave, the grin remaining on his face. She was quite interesting.

Rowan walked into the kitchen, raiding the fridge once again. As she looked around, part of her wasn't feeling hungry. She didn't have a couple of days left. She had maybe one or less if she was lucky. If anything, she was feeling a little rushed, like reconciling both Rowan and Hel had to be done before the Winchesters came back home or else she'll never have the chance.

The truth was that she'd just not have the chance to talk to Crowley anymore.

Rowan closed the fridge and paced around the kitchen.

She had to leave the room because it seemed obvious that both Crowley and her came to like each other. It had been about two days and their friendship had become something else, so it would seem. Rowan felt some tension after Crowley said he especially liked it when she got all handsy on him. Most of what he said was with humor, but there was also truth to it. This time was no different.

As she paced, Rowan wondered if maybe kissing Crowley could bring both her identities together to clear away her confusion, to unlock all her memories. It seemed to be what she wanted to do, but she also felt awkward. What if she lost control? What if Crowley wouldn't be able to stop her?

Yeah right; as if he'd stop her.

Rowan found herself leaving the kitchen and she decided not to think about it but to just act on it. She walked back into the room where Crowley simply smiled, as if he knew her little trip to the kitchen was just to clear her head. She walked around the table and surprised him by sitting on his lap. She looked into his eyes as he grinned.

"I'm just going to kiss you." She said and his grin broadened.

"Is that all?" He said, which made her smile. Rowan knew that if she stalled any longer, she'd back out of this idea. She had to just act rather than think.

She pressed her lips softly against his and as he cocked his head, pushing against her lips, slipping his tongue into her mouth, it was like a floodgate had opened.

Rowan's arms wrapped around his neck and she felt this tingling feeling spreading throughout her body. This had been the first time she willingly got emotionally involved with someone and, of course, it had to be a demon bound to a chair in two brothers' huge bunker. The taste of his lips, a slight hint of whiskey, and his lips felt soft as they locked around hers, his tongue aggressively entwined with hers, which made her heart race within her chest. Bound demon that the Winchesters found dangerous, who cares?

However, it felt like her heart was flipping within her chest, a feeling she didn't know how to take.

Rowan pulled away, this lovely sucking sound as she broke their kiss. She gazed into his eyes, feeling enchanted. His eyes glimmered as he stared into hers.

"Feeling something, Chickadee?" he said, his voice low and rich, grave and sexy. Rowan's heart continued to beat and she just wanted to kiss him again.

"I love it when you call me that." She said, seduction oozing through her voice, and pressed her lips hard against his, continuing where they left off. This time, her tongue aggressively pushed against his. In that moment, she could feel a surge of energy throughout her body, her arms tightening about his neck. It felt like adrenaline pumping through her veins, making her feel as if she was starving although she was the one starving Crowley of oxygen.

And then, Rowan broke their kiss, gasping, her eyes going distant as memories began flooding over her. It was more or less the same information she had received during her sleep, but the fact that she was awake was the incredible part.

"I'm remembering." Rowan said, half in her trance of remembrance.

"That's good." Crowley said softly. "You have a slight glow in your eyes." he added, watching her smile as she could remember the times she hurt those that had harmed her. The more she was placed in dangerous foster environments, the more her power inflicted pain. There were quite a few times those bastards died after her departure. A part of her should be appalled at the things she had done, but she felt nothing but satisfaction; she was only defending herself against the _real_ monsters in the world.

And then, for the first time, she remembered the old days when souls walked into Helheim. There was no distinction between good and bad; everyone eventually came to rest in her realm of the dead. There were no sorting lines, no judgment. One's life actions meant nothing in her realm. However, she was the Ruler of the dead; she made certain that those who caused trouble went further under to a lifeless cavern as punishment. Death favored no one and neither did she.

Rowan focused her eyes back on Crowley with a smile on her lips.

"I remember Helheim." She said and he stared at her with a glimmer in his eyes. "It's incredible. I don't feel so confused anymore. I know who I am." She added and his lips widened in a smile.

"And soon, you'll have control over your power." Crowley said and she smiled at him.

"Not before Sam and Dean come back, I'm sure." Rowan said and Crowley gave a sort of unperturbed grin.

"Not unless we can give you a little push in the right direction." He added with a dark glimmer in his eyes. Rowan narrowed her eyes in suspicion, her cheeks heated up as she fought against dropping her gaze to his waist. "I'll let you use me as you want." He added and her cheeks flared to a shade of red.

"I can't do that. I won't." she said and quickly got off his lap, fixing her shirt to keep her hands busy.

"Any suggestions then, Chickadee?" he asked her and she glanced at him over her shoulder, frowning at his pet name for her.

"Calling me Chickadee won't encourage me to do that." Rowan replied and Crowley's lips twitched into a mischievous grin.

"Do what?" he asked, playing stupid just to tease her. She glared at him, approaching, standing over him, her face inches from his.

There was a darkness in her eyes. Good.

"You know damned well what." She replied and he only smiled at her.

"You're stunning when you're angry." Crowley said and despite her smile, there was a flicker of annoyance in her dark eyes.

"You're not as smooth as you think you are." She said and his smile only remained.

"Au contraire, Chickadee; you're not as resistant as you think you are." He replied, his smiling turning into a smirk. She glared playfully at him, knowing he was right there.

"I'm going to sleep now." Rowan said, stepping away from Crowley, adding a little swing in her walk.

"Dream of me." Crowley replied and she let out a sharp laugh, never looking back at him, walking out of the room.

Rowan made her way to her room, smiling, unable to shake off Crowley's oozing confidence and sexual teasing. Did he really want her to have sex with him? It sure seemed that way. Were demons even interested in that sort of thing? She imagined they could get off on inflicting pain on others, but sensual pleasure? She couldn't see it.

She first swung by the bathroom, popping a couple of sleeping pills, and then laid down on her bed, setting the alarm on her phone. She was giving herself a couple hours of sleep because she couldn't afford ten hours. The Winchesters would be returning soon.

She tried to sleep, but her mind remained on Crowley. She sort of wanted to dream of him. Even if she was allowing herself to get emotionally involved with someone, she couldn't bring herself to do more. All these years, she thought it was all the times someone had tried to take advantage of her, but that didn't seem to be the primary problem. Maybe she never trusted anyone with her heart, even as Hel.

When Rowan closed her eyes and finally drifted to sleep, feeling the pills taking affect, pulling her into sleep, her dreams toke over control of her thoughts. She wasn't sure what she could expect, but she hoped it would be just what she needed to be Hel once again.

Everything faded to an oblivious black, her mind switching from the conscious to the subconscious.

There, she was in her room, on her bed, listening to the music playing overhead throughout the bunker. It was a song with a sweet beat that made her want to dance. More importantly, a song that made her want to strut around, showing off her femininity.

And then the music shifted into something luscious, a perfectly good sex jam.

She swung her legs off her bed, walking to the music, walking down the hall with a seduction pulsing through her veins. She turned into the room where Crowley awaited her. Rowan waltzed into the room, her eyelashes batting seductively as she stared at that confident smile on his lips.

"Dreaming of me, as predicted." He said as she walked around the table, standing in front of him. She leaned over, placing her hands on his shoulders, staring into his dark eyes.

"I'd like you to show me just how, out of these chains, you'd have me wondering just what came over me." Rowan said, her voice sultry.

In that moment, the chains vibrated, trembling, and in split second, without Rowan even batting an eyelash, the chains unclasped and fell to the floor. The handcuffs vibrated, trembled, unclasping and falling to the floor. Then, the table began to shake and it was violently pushed to the side wall, scratching the giant symbol drawn in white that was part of his binding.

As fast as it had occurred, Crowley stood up, pulling her against him, kissing her with such fierce passion that it made her heart pound in her chest. The pounding was so loud, it felt like it was summoning her.

And then she realized with horror that –

Rowan snapped her eyes open, confused and not sure what horrified her in her dream, but she realizing that the pounding in her dream had confusingly blended with the buzzing of her alarm. It had already been two hours. However, her heart was still beating hard.

It was just a really weird dream that made her think she has to be more careful what she wishes for.

She jumped out of bed, feeling like her dream had been too vivid to just be a wet dream if she dare call it that. At that moment, she knew something wasn't right. Something was causing her to feel a ping of panic, not lust. She left her room, rushing to the room where Crowley was kept and when she stopped in the door way, her heart pounded so loud that it drowned out the music above her.

The chair was empty, the chains and handcuffs were on the floor, the table was pushed up against the wall and the giant symbol that looked like some sort of pentacle was scratched. Crowley was set free and she had done it in her sleep, in her dream.

Suddenly, the realization that it wasn't a dream terrified her and she realized what had horrified her so much: she had become aware of her power and that her dream wasn't a dream at all.

The demon that had become a friend, who she knew she couldn't trust completely, had been released and it frightened her to think what he was capable of doing. Worst of all, she released him with her power and she couldn't help but feel this is what he wanted all along; not to help her, but to help her so she could help him.

That's why she had never trusted anyone to get close to her.


	17. Chapter 17

**The Howl**

Rowan's heart continued to pound against her rib cage as she tried to locate Crowley in the bunker. She wasn't even sure where she was going; it was like her feet knew where to carry her. She turned into the kitchen and froze.

Crowley was pouring a bottle of liquor into two glasses. The whiskey was done and that seemed to be the scotch. He casually glanced at her and raised a glass.

"Drink with me, Chickadee." He said and her feet carried her forward despite the fear caught in her throat, making her unable to utter a word. She took the glass as he watched her, a slight smile spreading on his lips.

"Did I – um – my dream, I mean. Did I – um…" Rowan said, lost for words as Crowley stepped closer to her, watching her with that smile. His body was in her personal space and he was well aware of that.

"It wasn't quite a dream as it was astral projection, am I right?" he asked and she met his eyes, seeing that mischievous glimmer.

"It felt so real." Rowan said and he continued to stare at her, still making her heart pound hard and fast. Perhaps it was a mixture of panic and lust. "The chains and handcuffs, the table, the symbol…" she added, seeing it in her mind as if it wasn't just a dream. It wasn't just a dream.

"All you, Chickadee." He said and gently placed a hand on her hip, inching towards her, nearly closing the gap.

"I released you." She said, her voice so soft it was nearly a whisper.

"You kissed me." he said and his eyes dropped down to her lips.

Rowan set her glass of scotch on the counter, and then took his, setting it down too. She looked back into his eyes and before she could utter a word, he closed the gap between them, pressing his mouth to her, his hands cupping her back thighs, lifting her onto the counter, nearly knocking back the glasses of scotch. He pushed through her legs, holding her tightly against him as he held onto her hips.

Her legs wrapped around him, her arms around his shoulder, fingers entwined in his short hair. His tongue was hot against hers, their kiss so overwhelming that she felt starved of oxygen like she had done to him. But she didn't want him to stop.

In that moment, her mind flashed back to her astral projection, as if unlocking another forgotten memory. When she ruled in Helheim, she remembered how she could appear to the dead. She was a beautiful woman and then, at will, project herself. Her projection would appear as a ghostly, but vivid, creature very much like the dead in her realm. Her pearly bones were revealed through disintegrating tissue, blended in with healthy flesh.

The pictures depicting Hel in those books made her look half undead like a rotting zombie, but that wasn't her only image. Rowan understood now. She could walk the earth and the realm of the dead. She could be in two places at once, always a keeper of death. She was Death.

Then, she could see how she had appeared to Crowley; a ghostly apparition, radiating a strong aura of power. It was surprising to see that he wanted to kiss a face like that.

A ringing broke her concentration; it was her cell phone. Rowan pulled it out of her pocket, Crowley breaking their kiss, only to kiss her neck, his warm breath making her skin prickle with goose bumps.

"Hey." She said into the phone.

"Hey Rowan, we're on our way. Is there anything you want us to pick up?" Sam asked and now she couldn't concentrate on her conversation with Sam while Crowley was busy kissing every inch of her neck, his hands stroking her thighs.

"No, I'm good." She replied, trying to sound normal, her free hand still around Crowley's neck. She really was. Maybe Crowley was distracting her with kisses so she wouldn't realize that he only helped her so he could help himself. Maybe he liked her like she liked him. It didn't matter at the moment.

"Alright, well, we'll be there in a couple of hours." Sam said and she smiled as Crowley pulled the neck of her shirt down passed her shoulder, and then slipped off her bra strap, so he could kiss her shoulder.

"Okay. Bye." Rowan said, hanging up on Sam. She placed her phone on the counter, and then slipped her hands to his suit jacket, popping his buttons. She slid her hands under his jacket, feeling his chest.

Crowley's hands lifted her shirt and as he broke his lips away from her skin, she helped him tear it off, throwing it behind him. His lips resumed kissing her skin, but he traveled down to her collar bone, his lips tenderly and hungrily grazing her breasts sitting in her bra.

She tilted her head back, closing her eyes as she smiled, enjoying his touches. She didn't feel concerned with the Winchesters currently on their way home. She couldn't feel the world around her and didn't care to. Rowan just wanted Crowley's lips on her skin.

However, the world wasn't about to let her get lost in his embrace.

A sharp piercing howl erupted outside the bunker making it sound faded, as if it was far away, but she knew it was close. It was a howl that made a shiver run down her spine, as if she recognized it. Even Crowley stopped to listen. When the howl erupted again, he pulled his face away from her chest, looking into the doorway of the kitchen as if he might see something appear.

Rowan looked at him, at that distant gaze in his eyes. He didn't seem to know what that howling could be.

"Is that a Hellhound?" she asked, already anticipating what his answer would be.

"No." he replied casually, then glanced at her. "Could be something you know." He added and she swallowed hard, nodding slightly. She didn't want to say it out loud because a part of her still felt like this Norse Mythology bit is insane.

"Fenrir, the wolf." She replied, looking at his suit jacket like all she wanted to do was feel his body pressed up against hers.

"Your brother." He corrected, taking a glass of scotch and taking a sip. She looked up at him and smiled.

"Just like a brother to ruin his sister's make-out session with a smoking hot demon." Rowan said, getting a little smirk out of Crowley as he placed the scotch back on the counter. "I guess he'll want to speak to me." she said and he met her eyes, a dark glimmer in his.

"You should. He might have the answers I don't have." Crowley said and she gave him a disappointed smile despite feeling reassured that he really did like her and not just so he could escape his bindings. "Don't worry, Chickadee. You don't have much time to sit and contemplate." He added and she nodded.

He slipped away, his hand extended, her shirt flying into his hand. He turned and gave it to her, watching her as she slipped it over her head.

"What about you?" she asked, watching him reach for the scotch, drinking the rest. "Are you going to leave?" she asked and he placed the empty glass down on the counter.

"No." he said, which surprised her.

"I don't understand." She said and he glanced at her, giving her a small smile.

"I've got some business here. And I can keep them away from you." Crowley said, referring to the Winchesters, which made a small sad smile appear on her face. He really liked her. He stroked her cheek as if to cheer her up. "You can lock me back up before you leave." he said and drank the second glass of scotch, nearly in one gulp.

"I hope you had enjoyed your few minutes of freedom." Rowan said and he placed the empty glass next to the other one, grinning as he looked at her.

"Every second." He said as she slid off the counter. With a smile, she turned and walked out of the kitchen, Crowley walking beside her.

"So, that symbol. I've been meaning to ask, what is it?" she asked as they turned down the corridor.

"A Devil's Trap." He replied. "Makes a demon useless." He added and when she glanced at him, he blinked and what she saw, didn't shock her, but seemed to confirm what she had seen before. His eyes were a crimson red.

"Sexy." She replied and he blinked his red eyes away with a grin.

"Seems we have that in common." Crowley said, his voice low in a whisper and his eyes fell heavy on her. Without warning, his arm wrapped around her and pulled her in, kissing her neck. She let out a slight laugh, especially when he got handsy on her, dropping his hand to her ass.

"We have quite a bit in common, I believe." Rowan said, pulling away from him and giving him a playful glare as he grinned with delight.

They walked into the room where he was held captive. She glanced down at the Devil's Trap, not sure how she would fix that, until Crowley stepped beside her with a large stick of white chalk. She took it and watched as he sat down in his chair, exhaling like he didn't really want to resume his imprisonment, but was willing to do it for her. She could have kissed him. She'll have to kiss him.

She began touching up the Devil's Trap with the white chalk as Crowley began cuffing one wrist. Once the sigil was done, Rowan cuffed his other wrist, and then clasped the chains back to how they were around him, even his feet which she hadn't really noticed before, but a flashback of her astral projection proved it. Well, it seemed she still had a bit of amnesia.

"Just like old times." Crowley said, looking at her with a slight grin. Yeah, he really didn't like being chained up again.

"Yeah, you liked that." She said, his grin widening. Rowan leaned over, giving him a long kiss that told him how much she wanted to stay. She pulled away and grinned at him. "Something to remember me by." She added and he smirked at her, but it wasn't the kiss she meant. She cupped his groin, surprising him. Her lips twitched into a dark grin as she locked gazes with him.

"Handsy." He said and she let out a small laugh.

"Like I said, something to remember me by." She replied and pulled away. "So, see you later, whoever finds the other first." She said and began walking to the large doors that had remained opened ever since she met him.

"A contest I'll win, I assure you." He said and she turned, gripping the doors, staring at him with a smile.

"We'll see." Rowan said and closed the doors. She searched the shelf beside her for the lock, putting it through the door handles. She locked the bolt and stood silently, looking at the door. She pressed her hand up against it. She didn't think she'd feel this way when she first walked in. She told herself she wasn't going to trust him, that she was going to remember not to underestimate him. And here she was, missing him already because she fell for him.

She walked away, knowing her brother was out there, waiting for her. She wasn't going to take her things or her cell phone. Maybe she'd come back, maybe not; but all her possessions just didn't seem to belong to her anymore. Not only that, but she was Hel, a _goddess_ , even if she didn't feel like one. What would she need with things like a cell phone?

However, Rowan did take her purse and her iPod. Those were important enough to her.

She reached the foyer with the spiral stairs that led up to the heavy looking front door. She climbed those stairs and once she got up top, tried to open the door with that large turning handle like old submarines. It wouldn't budge; it was too heavy. She clenched her jaw, irritation and determination building up, but wasn't enough to open the door.

Rowan stood back and focused on the door. She was Hel. That stupid door was going to open. She stared at the door, staring at how still it was, how staring at it didn't do any good.

"Fuck!" She snapped and the door creaked as it opened, as if someone had turned that large circular handle. She walked up to it, turning it which was much easier now, and swung the door open.

She stepped out of the bunker, on ground level, which seemed like a pretty deserted place, a small forest surrounding the bunker. A perfect place for hunters that go around calling themselves federal agents. She turned and shut the door behind her, hearing a click, as if the door locked. Rowan walked away, not hearing or seeing anything around. She walked down the trail and once it began to curve, she could see a black car without a driver.

Then a twig snapped and when she looked to the forest by the car, she could see a wolf, his fur white and gray.

But this wolf was much larger than she had ever seen. That was because this was no ordinary wolf. She knew this wolf and by the way he stared at her with dark eyes, he knew her.

This was Fenrir, her brother.


	18. Chapter 18

**Bad Wolf**

As Rowan approached the black Toyota Hybrid, to be exact, Fenrir did the same, only he began to morph into a human form, a tall and burly man. As she looked at him, she couldn't quite recognize him even if she knew it was her brother. He had hard steel colored eyes and a stubble, sign of a beard growing in. Despite his appearance putting him at his early 30's, his dark hair was beginning to have streaks of gray at his temples.

If he wasn't her brother, she'd say he was sexy.

"Fenrir." She said and they reached the car, but still keeping a distance in between them.

"Get in the car." He said, voice grave and rough, and walked passed her, getting to the driver's door. "Now, Hel." He added with a warning tone. She stared hard at him. Had she done something wrong? Regardless, Rowan opened the passenger door and got in, noticing how he had a necklace of a wolf dangling from his review mirror.

As soon as they were in, he ignited the engine and tore out of there, turning down the trail and speeding like a street racer. Rowan glanced over at her brother, uncertain about him.

"Stop staring." He said, his eyes not even leaving the road.

"I would, but did I piss you off or something?" she asked and he then glanced at her, eyebrow knit together in a frown.

"No. Of course not." He said and returned his eyes to the road, keeping the frown.

"Are you pissed off about something else?" Rowan asked and his frown increased.

"Why do you ask?" he said and she widened her eyes like it wasn't obvious.

"Nothing, it's just… no 'Hi, sister. Missed you. Give me a hug.'" Rowan said and his frown relaxed into a dismissive grunt.

"I don't do hugs." Fenrir replied and she let out a small laugh. He glanced over with that frown returning quickly. "What?" he asked.

"You don't do polite salutations either." She said and he returned his eyes to the trail that had now taken them to a road. He turned onto it without even being cautious of the fact there might be traffic. Rowan clung to her seat belt, suddenly fearing that her brother's reckless driving was like his rough personality: bound to kill her.

"What do you expect? I've been chained up for years by Odin and then Dad sets me free, only to wander this place with nothing to do. I've been trying to find you for centuries. And I'm really tired so I'd appreciate you giving me a break." Fenrir said dryly, keeping his eyes on the road, clearly speeding passed the speed limit sign that Rowan couldn't see due to his speed.

She remained silent, just watching him out of the corner of her eyes.

"No thank you?" he asked and she looked over at him sharply.

"Excuse me?" she asked him and when he looked at her, there was annoyance in his eyes. "Thank you for what? Barking at me like a heartless jerk? Ordering me to get in your car like I'm such an inconvenience? Change your tone now, brother, or I'll show you how I am when I'm pissed off." Rowan said, suddenly feeling that surge of energy growing, turning her cheeks hot.

Fenrir looked away and his demeanor seemed to relax under her stare.

"Alright." He said, his voice a little softer. "Sorry." He added and exhaled through his nose. "Hi sis, I missed you. I'm happy to see you. Get in the car and we'll talk over coffee." He concluded, then glanced at her with a softness in his steel colored eyes. "Better?" he asked her.

"Get in the car, _please_." She corrected, which made him frown.

"What?" he asked, glancing at the road, avoiding slow traffic by passing them, nearly sending them into the ditch by the road.

"It's polite." Rowan said and watched as Fenrir exhaled through this nose again, glancing back at her.

"You're already in the car." He said and she smiled.

"For future reference." She replied and watched as a small grin appeared on his handsome face. Who would have known her brother, Fenrir the wolf, was good looking? Once he smiled, of course.

Then, as she looked at her brother, she thought of the other the Winchesters had killed. Suddenly, for the first time, her heart felt heavy in her chest. Jormungand was her brother and she didn't save him.

"Hey." Fenrir said softly, placing a hand on her knee, which snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Jormungand. He's dead." She said, sadness in her voice and in her eyes.

"I know." Fenrir said, letting his own sadness be revealed in his grave voice.

"I stood there and let hunters kill him." Rowan said, suddenly feeling tears form in her eyes for a creature she originally thought was a monster. It was the first time she _really_ considered him a brother.

"The Winchesters." Fenrir said and she glanced at him.

"How did you know?" she asked.

"Anyone who's a monster knows those two. They've literally been to Hell and back, having killed just about everything you can think of." He said and Rowan kept thinking of them actually having been in Hell; the place that was once Helheim, her realm of the dead. What has Hell become since her departure?

"We're monsters." She said, her voice low, as if disappointed.

"Sadly, we are." Her brother replied as they drove into a small town, so it would seem. "The Winchesters will leave us alone if we behave ourselves, or prove to be allies." He added and she thought of Crowley. She would have pointed out also if they prove to be useful. Poor Crowley. "It's Jormungand's fault, really." Fenrir said which got Rowan to frown at him. "He spent his entire life in the ocean and he thought it was a good idea that when he does pop out to meet his sister with amnesia that she would recognize him as the giant snake that he is." He added and when he glanced over, seeing his sister's expression, his lips twitched. "Our brother didn't get out much. He didn't know human and English would have been better with even most girls." He concluded and Rowan just nodded her head.

"He's not the only one." She said, glancing at Fenrir, earning herself a little glare.

Fenrir reduced his speed and then parked in front of a little café. He shut off the engine and got out of the car. Rowan followed him into the small shop and narrowed her eyes as her brother picked the farthest booth, in the corner, away from all the other customers who were mostly the elderly. Clearly, her brother's been on his own too long, having become totally antisocial.

They sat in the booth and before they could start talking, a young waitress stepped up with a smile directed at Fenrir.

"What can I get you today?" she asked, clearly trying to flirt.

"Black coffee." He replied without looking up at her. His tone of voice had become cold and rough again. Apparently Rowan was the only who he'd make an effort to be polite. The waitress looked at Rowan with a slightly disappointed smile.

"A latté, please." She said and the girl nodded. "Thank you." She added and the girl smiled at her, but looked thwarted at Fenrir. When the girl was gone, Rowan kicked her brother's foot under the table, making him frown at her. "Why weren't you nice to her? She clearly liked you." She said and his frown deepened.

"What?" he asked her, clearly not knowing what she was talking about.

"The waitress was smiling at you and you coldly order black coffee." She said and he continued to frown at her.

"What's with you?" he asked her, scrunching up his face as if deeply confused.

"You're good looking and you treat women like they don't exist." She said and he merely just looked at her with annoyance. "Do you fear interaction with women?" she asked and he glared at her.

"I'm Fenrir, the wolf." He said, as if that should have made it obvious.

"There you go, a total animal. Some women are into that." Rowan said with a grin, but all she received was that glare of annoyance times ten.

"I have no idea what you just said." he said and the waitress returned with their coffees. She seemed discouraged to even try flirting with Rowan's brother.

"Thanks." She said and then smiled at her brother, who didn't seem to know there little conversation continued through her smile.

"I'm surprised you remembered who you are. I was only able to find you because you began remembering, your power was like a dimly lit lantern." Fenrir began, looking at her over his black coffee.

"Well, I had some help." Rowan replied honestly. He took a sip of his coffee, looking at her with an arched eyebrow.

"Who? The Winchesters?" her brother asked, eyeing her suspiciously. Now she had an idea of how it felt when she looked at people that way. Only with Fenrir, it was twice the suspicion.

"No." she replied. "It was a demon." she added and Fenrir's eyes were intense on her as she said the word.

"What?" he asked as he put his coffee on the table, his eyes hard with suspicion. "His name." he ordered and when she arched an eyebrow at him, he scowled. "Please." He concluded, still with a rough tone of voice.

"Crowley." she replied and his expression didn't change, until he sat back against the booth, looking angry for some reason. "You know him?" she asked casually, but his expression made her wonder what was wrong.

"Of all the demons, you meet Crowley." he said and shook his head as he looked out the window.

"Yeah, is there a problem?" she asked so innocently.

"Where?" Fenrir asked and she frowned, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Is this some sick twisted brother thing? Checking on me, making sure no one touches me?" she asked and he frowned as if this confused him.

"I'm simply asking. You were at the Winchesters. Was he there too?" Fenrir asked, showing a bit of softness as if not to anger her.

"Yes. He's their captive." Rowan replied and for a split second, her brother seemed surprised, but then let out a laugh that got some attention from the other customers. "What's so funny?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Never thought I'd hear that." He said, still smiling as he sipped his coffee.

"So you do know Crowley." she said and he looked at her, suspicion beginning to brew in his eyes.

"If he's a captive, then he wasn't hurting you." He says which Rowan found odd. "What do you know about him?" he asked with slight curiosity.

"He's a demon who was once human. He was King of the Crossroads." He replied and his silence hinted that he wanted more information. "He told me about Lucifer getting out of this cage, and then put back in. Then he told me about this Knight of Hell called Abaddon, trying to rule Hell." Rowan said and her brother continued starting at her, then he arched an eyebrow.

"That's it?" he asked and she nodded her head, a little uncertain of why her brother was acting so strange. "The little devil." He said, which peaked her curiosity.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked and his lips twitched into a small grin.

"Well, sis, the thing about your friend Crowley is that he's currently the King of Hell." Fenrir said and Rowan's face was blank, as if in a state of disbelief and shock. "Did you honestly trust him?" he asked her and her blank expression was replaced with irritation.

No wonder she never trusted anyone that wasn't her family; there was no reason to trust them in the first place. Crowley was no better than anything else she's met in all of her existence.

"I didn't fully trust him, no, but the thing is he lied to me." she said, angry and he could see that familiar glow in her eyes. Her aura of power was indeed like a dimmed lantern; her power wasn't fully awakened.

"Crowley didn't so much lie as he did withhold information." Fenrir said and she looked out the window, frustrated as she clenched her jaw. "That's why meeting him is the worst thing. He's a manipulator and you mustn't trust him." he added.

"Is everyone trying to withhold information from me?" she asked, her voice revealing anger. "First the Winchesters and now Crowley?" she added, nearly grunting out of frustration.

"Not your brothers." Fenrir said softly and when she looked at him, she seemed a little saddened, thinking about Jormungand no doubt. "And it's only natural the Winchesters would keep information from you. They'd probably be happy if you never remembered who you truly are." He added and she nodded her head. And Crowley wanted the opposite.

"Alright," Rowan began, sipping some of her latté, calming herself down. "Tell me about our father." She said, still looking a little sad and Fenrir wondered if it was because she missed him or already knew he was dead.


	19. Chapter 19

**Reconnection**

"Well, our father's dead." Fenrir said and watched as it wasn't news to his sister. "I guess Crowley told you." He added and watched as she nodded her head. "Alright, well, at the beginning." He said and had this hard look in his eyes. "As Dad later told me after he released me from my chains, he was actually an Archangel." He said and she nodded again, saying that Crowley told her that too. Did that pompous demon leave out any details for him to share with his sister? "Odin was disgusted by us three kids. He chained me up like a dog, tossed Jormungand in the ocean and you in Helheim, which you pretty much created by the way." Fenrir said and looked a little proud, but then returned to his hard expression both because she didn't seem surprised so far and that the rest of the story is still hard for them to swallow, he's sure. "Lucifer was trouble and when the fighting in Heaven got to its worst, Dad wanted to keep you safe." He said which got Rowan to frown in confusion.

"What? Why just me?" she asked, looking a little sad.

"You're the baby of the family, but he knew Lucifer was going to fall from Heaven and when he did, he'd go to the only other place to become his own leader." Fenrir said, looking at his sister sharply, as if hinting she should figure it out.

"Helheim." Rowan replied and he nodded.

"Dad wanted to protect you. He told me the truth so that I could protect you from his brothers. Dad went to get you and found a nice quite town. He took away your memory so Lucifer wouldn't be able to find you." He said and his eyes turned dark and cold, as if he didn't want to finish that sentence. "Dad was worried Lucifer might not just take your kingdom for himself, but you too." He blurted out with a flicker of irritation in his eyes.

"So I've been alive all this time. How come I don't remember that? Did I die and get reborn or something?" Rowan asked and Fenrir's lips tightened.

"Something like that, I guess. You're Death, so you can't really die." Fenrir said and she gave him a slight smile. "Naturally, because you forgot your identity, I couldn't keep track of you. I really did exhaust myself trying to find you." He added and Rowan let out a small laugh.

"Alright, thank you dear brother for your relentless searching. It's greatly appreciated." She said and there was a small smile on his lips. He was satisfied. "So, what happened to Dad after that?" she asked and his eyes grew cold.

"He mostly hid from his brothers and the Gods. He passed himself off as a Trickster all those years until he met the Winchesters." He said and she seemed slightly surprised. "They eventually discovered he was Loki, and then really Gabriel." He concluded as he drank his coffee.

"We were all separated all those years." Rowan said, knowing that's what her brother meant, but couldn't seem to say it. He nodded silently, drinking from his mug. "When exactly did Dad die?" she asked and Fenrir put down his mug.

"A few years ago. Lucifer killed him." he replied and they were silent for a brief moment. He could see his sister was upset, so he changed the subject. "So, how did Crowley help you gain back your memories?" he asked and, judging by the expression she shot him, that wasn't a subject she deemed any better.

"Believe it or not brother, I'm not required to tell you everything." she said and he watched her suspiciously, and when a small grin grew on his face, she was the one to watch them warily. "What?" she asked him.

"You like him." he said and she sighed, looking away with a frown. "It's like Baldur all over again." he added and she shot him a glare. "Do you even remember him?" he asked and she shook her head, which made him laugh. She disapproved of that. "Wow, he was like the love of your life. Only the feeling wasn't mutual." He added and she really glared at him, that glow igniting in her eyes. "You liked him so much, and you had Dad wrapped around your finger, that he did whatever it took to have Baldur in Helheim and stay there. Just for you." He concluded and she arched an eyebrow at him.

Okay, so that's the real reason she never got emotionally involved with someone; her first crush broke her heart and as a Goddess, she was eternally hurt by that. It explains a lot actually if it wasn't for all the times she was nearly raped as a child.

"So, Crowley's King of Hell." She said and Fenrir watched that anger flare in her eyes. "Why wouldn't he tell me that?" she asked and Fenrir grinned at her. He was doing pretty good for a brother that almost got insanely protective of her about Crowley.

"You think he cares about you?" he asked and her eyes sparked with rage, her pupils turning a smoky gray. "Alright, calm down. I'm just saying that Crowley only cares about himself. Everything he does is for himself." He added, which still didn't calm her anger.

"Are you saying he used me?" Rowan asked, her anger shifting into annoyance. The thought had crossed her mind, but she was pretty sure Crowley had proved her wrong.

"When faced with a superior being, Crowley deals with it one of two ways." Fenrir said, sharpening his eyes. "He flees or he befriends." He added and then his eyes became piercing as he stared at her. "Sound familiar?" he asked and she narrowed her eyes at him. "He mentioned Abaddon, which I find interesting. If I'm correct, Crowley's hoping that when you awaken completely, you'll fight her for Hell and he'll move in all sweet on you and you'll let him keep his crown." Her brother said with a slight smile as Rowan glared at him, sipping her latté. "Hate to break it to you sis, but yeah, Crowley's using you." He concluded and as she placed her cup down on the table, he expected her to be mad, but she seemed upset. "Hel?" he asked her and she raised her sad eyes up to him.

"Just when I thought I had things figured out." she said and Fenrir frowned, not thrilled that his sister was upset. Maybe Crowley had kissed her and willingly got back into his bindings to make her think that he cared about it. Maybe that was a further extent of his manipulation on her.

"He's a demon and you're a woman; don't blame yourself." He said and she raised her eyebrows and then kicked his leg under the table. "Ouch!" he said, watching her glare at him.

"What does being a woman have anything to do with it? What, I'm stupid? I let him fool me with kisses?" she snapped and he remained silent, seeing that smoky gray in her eyes. "He may have groomed me into becoming an ally, but I will not believe he doesn't care about me." she said and slammed her fist on the table, making the windows on the car just outside shatter. Fenrir looked at the car, people stunned as they stared at it, coming to check out what had happened. He glanced at his sister who was still staring angrily at him. "And being a woman has nothing to do with it, you misogynistic bastard." She concluded, her eyes revealing the rage that would not easily simmer down.

"Okay." He said, hoping that would calm her down. When her stare continued, he exhaled through his nose, nearly making a slight growl in his throat. "Sorry." He said and she seemed pleased with that. They drank their coffees, ignoring the crowd around the car with the exploded windows. The owner of the car was distraught, uncertain of what had caused the windows to shatter. Fenrir looked at his sister, not so sure her power was weak. At moments of rage, she was doing pretty well.

"I think we'll have to awaken your power." he said and she arched an eyebrow at him. "Yes, although you damaged the car, you'll need to practice to gain your full strength." He added and she seemed to consider it over her latté. "I suppose Crowley helped with that too." He said and this time, his cup of coffee flew out of his hands, shattering on the floor. Everyone looked at them and he gave an apologetic smile. "Sorry. I'll clean it up." He said and immediately got the flirting waitress to help him out; telling him it wasn't his fault.

No, it was his fault. One look up at his sister and he saw the anger in her eyes. He was going to have to learn what _not_ to say to his sister.

When the waitress took away the bits of ceramic, having cleaned the coffee, Fenrir gave a small apologetic smile to Rowan.

"Sorry." He said and she sipped her latté. The waitress came back with another cup of black coffee.

"On the house." she said with a smile. Fenrir looked up at her, smiling, which delighted the poor girl. She added a swing into her walk that she was sure kept Fenrir's gaze, but it hadn't. It seemed he wasn't interested in the opposite sex. Maybe that was a good thing because he had no idea how to talk to them, let alone his sister.

"You have a problem of saying the wrong things." Rowan said calmly, even if she didn't look happy.

"As you remind me, every time." he replied, trying for a smile. "Here I thought I had a temper." He added and she smiled with pride, as if that was a compliment. They remained silent for some time and Fenrir knew they wouldn't be training until _her latté_ was finished; it wouldn't matter if he finished his coffee. "So, what do you remember? Where you lived, the families, I mean." He added and her eyes became distant, as if she immediately fell into those memories, and her eyes became cold as if she didn't want to remember. Fenrir couldn't understand.

"I was in many foster homes. My social worker kept moving me around because I was _a problem child_." Rowan said and her brother narrowed his eyes as if trying to understand. "Many times, the boys and men in those homes tried to sexually assault me." she added and his eyes and nose flared with rage. If she thought her brother didn't care about her, this was a huge contradiction to that fact.

She reached over the table and placed her hand on his with tenderness to reassure him she was alright.

"If you think I've been harmed, than you haven't seen what I did to them." She said and smiled as Fenrir gave a slight grin.

"What did you do?" he asked with a sharp hint of curiosity in his gray eyes.

"I made them suffer, heart attacks, strokes, broken bones, permanent paralysis, and then I also killed some. It always happened after I was moved out of the home." Rowan said and gave a dark smile as she didn't feel remorse for any of it. "I was well capable of protecting myself." She said and Fenrir seemed relieved.

"And Dad thought you needed me to watch over you." He said, which made her feel a little sad. Rowan wasn't sure why the emotion came over her, maybe it's because all those years she had no idea, somewhere out in the world, her brothers was looking for her, especially Fenrir. "Hey." He said, making her look into his eyes.

"We could have been a happy family." She said and his eyes seemed disappointed even if he forced a smile for her.

"I know. Well, at least Odin's dead." He said and she let out a small laugh, not very surprised he'd throw that in. "Sadly, many are dead. It turns out even the Gods aren't immortal." He added, which now made her sadness turn to disappointment too.

"Even us?" she asked and he shrugged his shoulders.

"I can't see how you'd die. You're already half dead." He said and she let out a small laugh, despite the not-so-angry-but-trying-to-act-like-it frown on her face. "I don't understand how you react to my words. I say something and you laugh. I say something and you get mad." He concluded as he watched her expression, trying to figure out the mystery that is his sister.

"That's because you don't know how to talk to women. We're complicated creatures. You must know how to keep us in our good mood and learn what pisses us off." She said and he arched an eyebrow as if he didn't understand a single word she had said. "I guess you've been a bachelor all these years." she concluded and he frowned at her as if that was a topic he didn't care to share with her.

"Are you done your latté?" he asked and she gulped the rest, smiling at him. "Cheque?" he asked, raising his hand, staring at his sister. The flirting waitress came back, telling him the amount. He paid in exact change and barely gave her a smile. Rowan flared her eyes at him, and he looked up at the waitress with a forced charming smile. "Thank you. I really appreciated your service." He said and Rowan looked away, sighing with disappointment. Your service? He totally had no idea how to talk to women.

The waitress smiled, a little confused, and Fenrir got out of the booth, looking impatient as Rowan took her time. He let her walk out first, since she gave him a cold look. They walked out of the coffee shop and down the sidewalk to his car.

"You thanked her for her service. You thought that sounded romantic?" she asked him as soon as they stepped out. He was stunned and couldn't understand why she was so upset with him. Is that why she gave him a cold look? "She was flirting with you. You could have said 'Thanks for your smile. Thanks for helping me. I'm such a klutz. You're pretty. Can I have your number?' It's not so hard, Fenrir." Rowan said as she opened the passenger door of his car.

"Well maybe it is for me." he said and walked around the car, getting into the driver's seat. "I'm a wolf. I was chained for years. I was filled with rage and hate. I'm not a gentle creature by nature. I can't change that." Fenrir added, looking at the road with a hardness in his eyes and that usual rough grave voice. She watched her brother, understanding him a little better, and placed her hand on his arm.

"Okay, please accept my humble apologies." She said and he glanced at her with a slight frown. "You might be a wolf, rough around the edges, but you are capable of love or you wouldn't care so much about me." she added and his frown relaxed, but his eyes were still hard.

"My family is all I ever cared about." He said, placing his hand on hers that rested still on his arm. "And I can't possibly imagine someone who'd want to love me, an untamed wolf." He added, looking back at the road, starting the car and driving away from the curb. Rowan took her hand away and smiled at her brother.

"There someone for everyone." She said and he grunted like he had heard that lie before. "Maybe we can find you a nice werewolf." She added and he shot her a confused glare. "No?" she asked, not seeing a problem with that idea.

"We're done discussing this." He said, picking up speed as they passed the stores, leaving the small town. After a few minutes of silence, completely out of the town and surrounded by wilderness, Fenrir pointed to the side of the road. "Look for a small trail. We'll go walking and find a nice place to train." He said and Rowan grinned as she looked at him.

"I would, but with your speed it'll look like a bigger-than-usual space between the trees." She said and he shot her an annoyed frown. "What's with the speed? You could get yourself killed." She added and his expression remained the same as he looked back at the road ahead, scanning for the trail himself since his sister couldn't be bothered, so it seemed.

As the car slowed down, Rowan could see a trail, her brother parked just a bit after it and shut off the engine, looking around as if expecting to see something.

"Is there a problem?" she asked and he gave a low growl in his throat as he stepped out of the car, glancing around. Rowan sighed and got out, looking around. Everything seemed fine to her. Fenrir walked over to her, only to lock her door, and shut it, glancing at the trees behind her. "Fenrir. Is there a problem?" she asked again.

"No." he said, looking very distracted. He lowered his eyes to her with a slight frown. "I'm eager to get in there." He said and she nodded.

"Natural instincts to run free?" she asked and his frown deepened as if insulted. "What? You're a wolf." She added and he grunted as he turned, walking towards the trail. She had to jog a bit to catch up to him and then walk fast just to keep up with him.

"It's not to act like a wolf. It's just comforting. No one can touch me in the wilderness. No one can tame me." he said and Rowan gave him an apologetic smile. He looked at her out of the corner of his eyes and pulled her roughly into a sort of embrace as they walked like fire was nipping at their heels. "We're getting to know each other all over again. And I've said worst to you." He said and she smiled up at him.

"We're going to stay close together, right?" she asked and saw a sort of disappointment fall over his face. "Fenrir?" she asked and he looked down at her as they reached the trail and began walking into the forest.

"You're not going to stay here. You've always been in Helheim and even if it's no longer the place you remember, you'll want to be there too, trying to change it back. It's what I'd do." Fenrir said and she gave a sad frown, especially when he released her from his probable definition of a hug.

"Maybe not." She replied, watching him as he looked at the trees. "Maybe I'm tired of being alone too." She added and he met her gaze, looking stunned and partly vulnerable, as if she hit a raw nerve. "Even if I do try to rebuild Helheim, which probably won't happen because a legion of demons would probably try to kill me, I would want us to keep in touch." Rowan said and, despite his surprise, he smiled at her, a full smile without hardness.

"You've changed a lot." He said and she grinned at him.

"Memory loss will do that to you." She replied and they smiled together, walking deeper into the woods. Rowan was eager too to get into the wilderness and be herself. Would she be able to awaken her power, to be the great Goddess Hel again? It seemed a little unreal, but at least she wasn't confused anymore.


	20. Chapter 20

**Old Bones**

After about ten minutes of looking at trees, talking about what would have happened if they lived as a happy family, they were as lost as one could imagine. Fenrir reassured Rowan that he could never get lost and she was going to take his word for it, considering how he was sniffing the air a lot.

They came to a clearing that was well protected by forestry. There was a doe standing on the opposite end, but when she caught Fenrir's scent and looked at him, she bolted into the woods with her white tail up. Rowan glanced at her brother, seeing a wild look in his eyes.

"Are you going to chase her?" she asked and he turned his cold hard eyes on her in a very insulted frown. "Just kidding." She said with an innocent smile. He still didn't tone down his stare.

"Are you trying to even the score?" he asked, referring to the times he ran his mouth and pissed her off. She was about to be honest, but felt he'd understand better if she lied.

"Yes." Rowan said, watching him with uncertainty. Then, her brother seemed to consider it, and then gave a half nod.

"Seems fair." He said and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. She couldn't believe life in his mind was that simple. How was it fair? An eye for an eye? Does that ever solve anything?

"Just how are we training?" she asked, wondering if she had to get into a fist fight with her brother. Rowan couldn't picture that going very well. One punch and she'd be unconscious.

"Ragnarok style." He replied, which had her a little worried. He rolled his shoulders and then before her eyes, morphed into a giant wolf. She hadn't realized just how big he was. Still on four paws, he was staring directing into her eyes, at eye level.

"How is it I'm stuck being five foot six when my brothers are so huge?" Rowan asked and she could hear him let out a small grunt.

 _You're the baby of the family._

Rowan narrowed her eyes, hearing his voice like she heard Jormungand's that night. Just hearing his voice in her mind, she automatically started speaking in a different language. Her ears could hear it, as strange as it was, but her mind understood it completely.

"Do I look like a baby to you?" she asked. It was probably their mother who taught them that language. It was odd how they didn't talk about their mother.

 _No, I see a little girl._

Rowan glared at her brother and tried to focus on her aura of power. When she was with Crowley, he'd kiss her and a light switch was turned on, her aura of power glowed. Without him, all she had to do was get mad, but her power only had small moments like doors opening or thinking shattering glass. How could she awaken her power?

As if sensing her uncertainty, Fenrir turned and ran in the clearing, showing off his speed. It's no wonder he likes to push down on the accelerator of his car. As he built up speed, he leapt into the air and when he landed on the ground, it was like the tremble of an earthquake. He lived for the extreme.

Rowan felt her legs give out as if a human instinct to survive. She looked up and saw Fenrir looking at her with pride in his eyes. She shook her head and pushed herself up, brushing off her jeans.

"Couldn't give a warning?" she asked and he gave a low growl.

 _Where's the fun in that?_

She looked him in those now stale blue eyes and gave him a playful glare. What typical older brother behavior. And how come his eyes changed colors? It must run in the family. Crowley said her eyes changed too.

 _Well? Try._

"I don't know how." Rowan said and he gave a grunt, walking towards her.

 _Try._

She took a deep breath and thought of something that made her angry. The fact that Crowley didn't tell her he was King of Hell was a pretty good trigger. Fenrir's theory was that he wanted her to take out Abaddon instead of him _and_ that she'd let him remain as King of Hell. The unknowingly enemy of my enemy is my handsy kissy friend. Figures; her brother said he dealt with a more powerful being one of two ways; run from it or befriend it.

So, apparently she wasn't scary enough for him to run. He saw a frail little thing. He saw what could be trapped in something weak. He groomed her into liking him so when she'd be as powerful as ever and want her realm back she'd kill the only thing in her way, which just so happened to be his rival. Then, naturally because she liked him, he'd sweet talk her into letting him keep his crown; the crown that rightfully belonged to her.

Yeah, that was enough to make her mad; enough to summon her aura of power.

Rowan tried to maintain it as long as she could by concentrating. She looked up at the sky, thinking of how Crowley had described Hel's eyes as a dark sky with clouds covering a full moon. That was fuel to the fire she felt. He spoke loving words so she wouldn't kill him?

The clouds above darkened within seconds and a strike of lightening whipped into the sky, spreading like a crack on a window. Three seconds later, an echo boom roared throughout the sky, sounding just above her head.

 _Good. But you can't just get angry to use your power. You must be able to do so at will, no matter your emotion._

"I don't know how." She said, losing focus, the clouds slowly shifting back to white.

 _You're Hel. You're Death. Think of Helheim. Think of Jormungand. Think of Dad._

This time, Rowan didn't focus her attention on something she could see. She focused on her memories, on the temple where she felt at peace, where she heard a whisper welcoming her back. She focused on how she felt at that temple, how she appeared.

That then made her think of what Crowley had said when she astral projected herself; she was a ghostly apparition of a decomposition woman. That had been her form when surrounded by the dead or when she disconnected from the physical plain.

Rowan could feel a tingling in the back of her neck that spread throughout her arms.

 _Good. You're doing it._

Rowan could feel like she was back in that temple. She could feel the soft breeze on her skin. She could hear the whisper on the wind brushing passed her ear. It was calling her. When Rowan lifted her eyes, she looked down at her hands to see them as a ghostly apparition, to reveal those ivory colored bones beneath the flesh. It was like overlaying an image of someone deceased on another of a living person.

 _This is you, Hel. This is your power._

It surged throughout her body and as she looked at the ground beneath her feet, she thought of what that meant; she was Hel. She was the Goddess of the dead.

The grass beneath her feet began withering, turning brown, dying beneath her power. She felt as if she plunged her hands into the earth, searching for those that died on that land. The ground began to erupt around her in a small circle, pushing up any bones that were under her. Suddenly, bones began to poke through, forming together. The first were the bones of an animal, crawling out of the ground. The skull emerged from the dirt, its jaw dropping open, letting out an echo of a growl. It was the skeleton of a bear. The next was a human hand, the finger bones connecting by the will of Hel. The skull emerged, its jaw dropping open, letting out an echoed scream turning into a moan. Its finger dug fiercely into the dirt as it crawled out.

As their bodies were half out of the earth, Rowan touched their skulls, summoning their spirit. The bear appeared like a mirage over its bones, curling back its lips, snarling with deep set white eyes. The human was like a ghost hovering around its old bones, taking form of a Native American man, deep set cheeks and eyes which also were white.

"I pass you onto the realm of the dead, earthbound spirits." Rowan said, looking up to the sky. "Heaven awaits." She said, her voice deep and authoritative. The spirits of the bear and of the Native American man lifted away from the bones and rose to the sky, morphing into orbs of light, disappearing into the sun.

Rowan let the surge simmer, slowly feeling centered and grounded. When she looked at the earth, it was like it began swallowing the bones under her stare.

"That's one thing you could never have forgotten." Fenrir said who was back in his human form, looking proud of his little sister. "I wonder how the angels are reacting to having a Native American soul and that of a brown bear." He added, grinning as he looked up into the sky.

"Can't send them to Helheim. It's currently a hot mess of torture." Rowan said, walking towards her brother feeling incredibly amazing. She felt strong. It was as if she could feel everything around her pulsating; the trees, the ground, even her brother.

And speaking of her brother, looking into his eyes, she could see a long lifeline, one that would continue for many years.

"What?" he asked, uncertain why she was staring.

"I can see the years ahead of you." She said and he frowned. "You'll live a long life." She added and he grunted.

"Great." He said, not sounding so thrilled, although he should have been.

"It is." Rowan said, standing inches away from him, making him feel uncomfortable. "I'm Hel again." she said with joy that seemed to overwhelm her senses. She threw her arms around his rigid frame, pressing the side of her face against his chest.

"I don't do hugs, remember that?" he asked with uneasiness in his voice. "Or has your memory vanished again." he added and she stepped away, smiling up at him.

Suddenly, that moment seemed to shift. Rowan felt it before she even turned around. She felt a heaviness in the air and how darkly oppressive it seemed. Fenrir saw them and fury flared in his eyes. When she turned to face them, she knew exactly what they were.

Three individuals, two males and one female, stood apart with their eyes black as night, staring at her blankly.

Demons.


	21. Chapter 21

**Familiar Faces**

As Rowan laid eyes on those three demons, she seemed to be able to look directly into them, seeing their black smoky forms as she had with Crowley. These were old demons and as she stared at them, they began to seem familiar.

"Remember us." Said one of the two males; his vessel was an African American man about six feet tall, dressed in a form fitting dress shirt and business trousers.

As he spoke those words, Rowan could remember the temple of Hel, which is what it had been called in Helheim. There were many dead throughout Helheim and she had elected five of the eldest in her realm to serve as her guards and council.

They had been great warriors in their time on earth and had proven to serve her well. Those that were unruly had been detained by her servants she had named Draugar, the again-walkers who she had given the powers to walk as the undead, still within their corpses, for short periods of time out of Helheim.

As she stared into these three demons, she knew them well.

"Agmundr." Rowan said to the demon within the young African American vessel, the strongest of her Draugar. She looked at the next demon, the female who seemed to possess a high class socialite teenager. "Bjarni." She said, receiving a respective bow from the one female that had fought as fiercely as the men around her. She was the fastest of the Draugar. "Raganhar." She said, the male to the other side of Bjarni, who possessed the vessel of a young bald man with tattoo covered skin. He was the most deceptive of the Draugar, who reminded Rowan of her father.

The two other Draugar were Magni, the most intelligent, and Sigrid, the most beautiful, who had been a close friend. They must have been killed.

"You know these demons?" Fenrir asked and Rowan glanced at her brother with a slight frown.

"These are the Draugar, my loyal guards." She replied and glanced at them with pride, but also with sadness in her eyes. What they must have suffered in her absence.

"You abandoned us." Raganhar said as they all blinked away their black eyes. Although they were her loyal guards, time may have changed that and it seemed evident based by Raganhar's tone of voice.

"Pardon?" Fenrir asked, stepping forward with a growl. Rowan held her hand out in front of him, keeping her calm.

"I have. I'm sorry." Rowan replied, which ignited a wild fury in her brother's eyes.

"Our father took you out of Helheim to protect you from Lucifer. He also took away your memory to keep you safe. How is that abandoning them?" he said, snarling at the demons. They only looked at him, and then focused their attention on Rowan. "That wasn't your fault." He added, but the demons ignored him.

"I forgot what I was leaving behind." Rowan said and her eyes were remorseful, which she couldn't fight. "What had Lucifer done?" she asked and any rage the demons had subsided.

"He tortured us all and we became the first demons." Bjarni replied, looking resentful which was not directed towards Rowan. "Lucifer selected those in the lifeless depth of Helheim to serve him and they tore down your temple, Milady." She added and Rowan wanted to smile, but she couldn't. She remembered now how they addressed her as _Milady_ and as happy as she was to hear it again, it saddened her to think of those years they wondered why she had left them.

"We have waited to see you again." Agmundr said, kneeling down as a sign of respect. The other two had followed him, bowing their heads to Rowan. She approached and looked down at them with pride. Although they had been alone all those centuries, they had remained loyal to her. How amazing.

"Please rise." She said and they obeyed. "What of Magni and Sigrid?" she asked them and Bjarni lowered her eyes to the ground.

"Turned to Lucifer." Raganhar replied with disgust. "Renamed themselves Azazel and Lilith. They were leading the _Free Lucifer_ campaign a few years back." He added and in his eyes, he seemed to show misery and pain. Had their former fellow Draugar tried to persuade them into joining Lucifer's army? Rowan wasn't sure she could ask about that.

"They had died long ago at the hands of the Winchesters." Agmundr added with a bit or joy in his voice. "Azazel tried to make Sam his demonic child. Dean killed him. Lilith was the last seal that unleashed Lucifer, which Sam killed." He added and Rowan nodded, appreciating the information, as upsetting as it was to know two of her Draugar had become loyal to Lucifer.

"We felt your power, Milday." Bjarni said, blurting it out as if eager to speak of something better. "We had remained hopeful of your return." She added and Rowan smiled.

"Sorry it took so long." She replied and Fenrir grunted.

"You don't owe them an apology." He said and she glanced at him with a bit of disappointment in her eyes.

"I left them _all_ unguarded to face a monster alone. I wasn't there to protect them and I never had the chance to warn them." Rowan replied and her Draugar seemed forgiving as they stared at her. Fenrir's eyes were fierce as he still believed his sister didn't deserve these accusations of abandonment. He didn't seem to understand how she felt, knowing that her realm was left for Lucifer to ruin. Part of her wanted to be angry with their father, but it was true that he did it to protect her.

"Now that you've returned Milady, you can take Hell back. It won't be easy, but we can persuade many demons to support you. Many hate Crowley and most are afraid of Abaddon. There are still some who will remember you from back in the day." Bjarni said, her eyes seeming to beg Rowan to consider this.

Rowan was silent, giving it some thought, but most importantly she was thinking of Crowley. If there were many demons that hated him, but were willing to favor her, how would they react if she didn't kill Crowley? There was no way she could kill him.

"If you expect Hel to kill Crowley, you might want to brace yourself for a shocker." Fenrir said, his eyes hard, as if reading his sister's mind. The Draugar looked from him to Rowan with suspicion in their eyes.

"You'd let him live? He's a scoundrel. You must kill him. He will not surrender his claim on Hell." Agmundr had said, looking somewhat disgusted, although he tried to show more respect to Rowan.

"Whatever he has done to you Milady, he did it for his own interest." Raganhar added and Bjarni nodded in agreement with them. They didn't like Crowley one bit and they weren't thrilled to hear that their Lady of Death did.

"Whatever he had done to me?" Rowan asked, letting a little spark of anger flare in her eyes, making them lower their gazes. They had counseled her on some occasions, but this was the one time she didn't require it. "You mean whatever he had done _for_ me." she added, her anger revealing in her tone of voice which made her brother seem proud that she wasn't letting her Draugar put her down. "I remember who I am thanks to Crowley. If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't be having this conversation, so I'd like you to have a smidgen of gratitude." She said and her tone made it apparent that she would not tolerate their attitude.

"Our apologies, Milday." Bjarni said in a soft voice.

"Hel is well aware that Crowley had a secret agenda, that he wanted her to focus on Abaddon who's clearly a threat on her way back to Helheim." Fenrir said and the Draugar looked up at him, listening attentively. "However, Abaddon is a threat to him too. You know, _the enemy of my enemy is my friend_." He added and Hel looked at him with a slight smile. Now it felt like her brother was on her side.

"Only Abaddon doesn't know of our Lady." Raganhar said.

"She will now." Rowan said, crossing her arms over her chest. "If you felt my presence, so did every other demon, I'm sure." She added and her Draugar seemed to think of it, then nod in agreement. "So, start teaching me everything you know about demons." Rowan concluded which had put little grins on their faces.

Fenrir just sat back on a bolder, looking up at the sky, enjoying the energy of the wilderness as the Draugar began sharing Hell's secrets with their Lady of Death. In the dirt that Rowan had unsettled with excavating the bones of the bear and the Native American, they drew symbols they had called _sigils_ with a twig as they sat on the ground in a circle. Fenrir let out a laugh which Rowan disregarded. She could have sworn he said something about they resembled occultist children at Bible camp.

"This is to trap a demon." Bjarni said, drawing exactly the same sigil Rowan had seen under Crowley in that little prison. "There are a couple of variations, but it all works the same." she added and Rowan seem to soak in the sigil, as if her memory was holding onto it. Maybe her mind was using these bits of information to fill in the holes in her Swiss cheese of a memory. Interesting.

"I had seen that one to bind Crowley." Rowan said and they nodded.

"On chains too?" Bjarni asked and Rowan nodded. "It can also be put on a bullet, thanks to the ingenuity of the Winchesters." She added and Rowan let out a small smile. Her brother was right; any monster knows those two.

They had drawn the variations of the Devil's Trap, which Rowan was happy that her memory was absorbing them all in like a sponge to water. They were difficult sigils to draw.

The next one they showed her in the dirt was the anti-possession symbol, a pentacle within a sun was the best way to describe it. As Rowan learnt, that would protect the vessel from demonic possession. The Winchesters had that tattooed on them. It was funny to see those two popping up in their conversation like that, as if there was no way to get away from them.

"There's also a sigil we can use to remain within the vessel." Agmundr said and lifted his sleeve to reveal it burnt into the skin of his vessel's arm. "No exorcism can force us out, unless the sigil is damaged or removed." He added and Rowan smiled, liking that symbol, looking like a circle with a line from the centre of the circle, going out.

"There's also a trident symbol used to keep a demon within the vessel, mostly by force." Raganhar added, meaning hunters like the Winchesters. Yeah the hunters popped back up into the conversation like _whack-a-weasel_.

They also mentioned the Heptagram which was a protective circle used to trap demons. They drew it as best as they could, as it had many components to it, like the scorpion in the center.

"We're so bad, hunters need all the protection they can get." Bjarni said, sharing in Rowan's grin at all the sigils used to trap demons. When Rowan seemed a little sad, evidently thinking of how they were tortured into becoming demons, Bjarni reached across and placed her hand on Rowan's knee. "It's not so bad. Plus, not to put false hope in your heart Milady, but there might be a way you can reverse it." she said, Agmundr and Raganhar glanced at her, frowning.

"Or we can go see the Winchesters. They nearly succeed with Crowley." Raganhar said and that got Rowan's attention.

"What did you say?" she asked and they turned to her, a little surprised she didn't know.

"Well Milady, the Winchesters were trying to close the gates of Hell and that required three tasks. The last was curing a demon which the Men of Letters had done once before. They tried it on Crowley, but if Sam had done all three tasks successfully, it would have killed him." Agmundr said and suddenly, Rowan felt overwhelmed. Was that why Sam had been so nice to her? No, he couldn't possibly have thought she could help him.

And she _was_ capable of helping him. She was Death. Any living person with death lingering on them could be removed. Rowan couldn't remember if she had ever done that before, but she was confident she could.

"Crowley was almost cured, feeling human. When the Winchesters abandoned the task, they kept Crowley and we know where, because that's how you met him. Right, Milady?" Bjarni said and Rowan nodded, looking around hoping no other demon knew what was going on in the woods.

"We won't tell, Milday." Agmundr said and she smiled at him.

"No other demon is here. We would have sensed them." Raganhar said and Rowan patted his shoulder in appreciation of him reassuring her.

"Thank you. Now, let's get back to the lesson." Rowan said, thinking of Crowley, how he'd nearly been human again. Another little bit of information he kept from her. Suddenly, she couldn't help but feel forgiving, for some stupid reason.

Her Draugar also taught her the exorcism, telling her the first part expels the demon and the second part of it sends it back to Hell. Since they were bound to their vessels, they were alright to let Rowan repeat the words, memorizing them to her mind where it would fit into one of the many holes that were fortunately getting filled with demonic information. It was rather quite long, but as Rowan said the words in Latin, her mind automatically understood the translations, like when she spoke to her brother in their native tongue.

Rowan was shown a whole variety of warding sigils against demons or, specifically, Lucifer. That she found interesting.

They also drew the Aquarian Star, which the Winchesters' grandfather and his fellow members used as the symbol of the Men of Letters organization. Rowan had seen it, but hadn't thought much of it. Were her Draugar trying to keep the Winchesters in the conversation? Rowan couldn't stop smiling. If she was supposed to hate them, she couldn't. Although they kept their theory of her being Hel a secret, she couldn't find any reason why she'd want to hurt them. Especially not Sam. The next time she saw him, she was going to check on that.

"There's also something you might find familiar." Bjarni said, drawing a symbol that Rowan had indeed recognized. "It's been named the Zoroastrian symbol." She added. It was the symbol that depicted the human soul before birth and after death.

"Haven't seen that in a while." Rowan said, tracing her finger over the symbol drawn in the dirt. She couldn't remember its origin, probably meaning it existed before her or at her birth.

"We could also teach you Enochian." Agmundr said and Rowan smiled, shaking her head.

"It's quite alright for now." she said and stood up, brushing off the dirt from her jeans. "I now need to know how to fight against something like Abaddon." She added, which had her Draugar grinning.

"With pleasure." They said, joining her, eyes turning black with a blink.


	22. Chapter 22

**All Seeing Eye**

Rowan was suddenly pushed with such force, knocking her to the ground, that it stunned her. She turned her eyes to her Draugar and they seemed apologetic enough. Fenrir, on the other hand, didn't seem to think so. He jumped off his boulder and charged at them. They had done the same to him and it took Rowan to intervene, putting a hand on his chest as he advanced on them again.

"This is part of the training, Fenrir. I have to know how to fight something demonic, as you well know that's something I've never faced before." She said and despite his flaring eyes and nostrils, he remained still, changing his mind.

"That was a dirty trick." He said and Rowan let out a small laugh.

"It's a total demon move, don't you think?" she asked and turned to smile at her three loyal friends as her brother reluctantly returned to his rock. "Alright, how to I defend myself against that?" she asked and they sort of tilted their heads at her.

"You want us to tell you how to use your power?" Bjarni asked and Rowan let out a laugh.

"Yeah, I guess I have to find that out myself." Rowan said and tried to prepare herself against another attack.

"You realize Abaddon won't give you the chance to anticipate her attack." Raganhar said and Rowan grinned at him.

"No, I didn't. Thanks for the tip." She said and they smiled at her sarcasm.

Bjarni flicked her fingers, trying to send Rowan flying back, but she had prepared herself. Rowan pushed out her energy, acting like a shield, and it proved to work as she remained on her feet unaffected.

"Good." Bjarni replied, but then caused stone from behind Rowan to flying up, pelting her back.

"Ow." Rowan said and her Draugar gave a remorseful smile. "I'd say nice shot, but one of those rocks was pretty big." She added and before she could prepare herself again, the other two ganged up on her physically after they pushed her back with their power. Agmundr had her by the throat and Raganhar was restraining her.

"What are you going to do if Abaddon lays a hand on you?" they asked her and Rowan simply looked up at the sky, letting her astral projection take over as if on instinct. Her ghostly form emerged and seemed to act like an explosive, knocking them both off of her. When they got back up, charging at her, along with Bjarni, Rowan placed a hand on Agmundr's head and he began to fall limply to the ground.

"Good. The more you focus, the more it'll be fatal." Raganhar said as he helped Agmundr up on his feet and who needed a few moments to recover. "What was that like?" he asked and Agmundr grunted in response.

"Like electricity to my demon soul. I feel numb." He replied and Rowan smiled apologetically at him. "Which is good. More strength to that will knock Abaddon into oblivion." He added.

"Do you wish to continue?" Bjarni asked as she walked over to Rowan, looking at the two others. "It would be good to practice a fatal blow. We could retrieve an Abaddon loyal for you." She added and Rowan shook her head.

"No, thanks. It might tip her off that I'm practicing to kill her." Rowan added and Bjarni nodded her head as if that was a brilliant idea.

"Let Hel relax a little." Fenrir said, looking like he was about to take a nap on his rock. "She'll be fine. She'll kick Abaddon's ass." He added and Rowan arched an eyebrow at him. A moment ago he was the Hulk and now he's like a cat lounging in the sun, careless of the world around him.

"I wonder how he'd react if I threw a stick." She said to Bjarni in a low voice, nearly a whisper. Fenrir casually glanced at her with a slight frown.

"I've got good hearing, you know." He said and Rowan smiled innocently at him.

"Like I care." She replied and turned to her Draugar. "I'll stay here, catch up on some things. You could do me a favor and keep posted with what's going on. Be my eyes and ears." She concluded. They nodded and vanished without a word to her.

"By _catch up_ do you mean _check in_ on Crowley?" Fenrir asked and without looking, she caused a few flying rocks herself, dropping on him. "Hey." He said and she smiled, choosing a nice spot of grass and laid down, looking up at the sky. So what if she wanted to check on Crowley. Was he still held captive? Did the Winchesters interrogate him on her whereabouts? She was certain she could find out.

Rowan laid back on the grass, closing her eyes, feeling the firmness of the ground and the heat from the sun. Atop from that, the air was cool and refreshing. No wonder Fenrir was so relaxed on that rock. It didn't take long for Rowan to drift off, picturing the bunker and those halls, feeling her astral projection emerge in a sort of daze.

She focused on just hearing and seeing, not having such a presence where it was noticeable that she was there like she had done to Crowley when she thought it was just a vivid dream.

Rowan was standing in her room at the bunker, suddenly feeling sigils throughout the bunker that was oppressive to every unwanted guest, except to a death deity. Death was a difficult thing to ward against.

Everything in her room was untouched. She glided to the door and passed right through it with unbelievable ease, just like a ghost. This felt so natural to her even if it was her first time. She could hear some shouting and followed it to the room where they kept Crowley. Both brothers were there, talking to Crowley who seemed to be making things difficult. What a shocker.

"We'd have enough of your games." Dean said and a very worried Sam stepped out to get some air. He looked like he hadn't slept well. He rubbed his face, especially his eyes. As Rowan seemed to have been unnoticed, she looked at Sam and could see that the tasks to close the gates of Hell had taken a toll on him. He was weak and if he didn't take the time to heal, he'd fall into a coma. She wanted to reach out and take away the wounds, but not until Abaddon was dead.

How hadn't she noticed this before, Sam's weakness due to the task? It should have been obvious.

"Who's playing games?" Crowley asked, trying to sound innocently oblivious. Rowan wanted to peak in and see him, but he might be able to see her. She wasn't entirely certain and she wasn't willing to test it.

"Where is Rowan?" Dean asked, his voice harsh with irritation.

"How is it you think I'd know where she is? I don't have a crystal ball." Crowley replied, which made Dean sigh with frustration. "Your little house guest was too busy blaring her awful music, probably going through your things." Crowley added, his voice sounding serious. He was clearly lying, but he sounded honest. It was a little unsettling how good he was at lying. "And we both know you're more concerned about someone else." he added.

There was a silence that seemed to stretch on. Sam walked back in, getting back to business.

"How's Abaddon?" Crowley asked and both brothers remained silent, as if annoyed by his question, but angry that she was a problem and he was reminding them.

"How do we kill her?" Dean asked and Crowley was silent.

"You'll need something very powerful." Crowley said and Rowan was certain he was talking about her, but of course he wouldn't say that to the Winchesters. "You won't like the price that comes with it." he added and the brothers were silent, as if dreading the idea of sacrificing themselves again, but not seeing any other way of killing Abaddon.

"What is it?" Dean asked.

"The very first weapon of the world." Crowley said and a heavy silence fell like a blanket of thick fog. Rowan didn't like that sound of that. Just what was he suggesting?

"The jawbone of an animal that Cain used to kill his brother, Abel." Sam said with a hint of melancholy in his voice.

"The First Blade. The only weapon in the world that can kill anything and everything." Crowley said, which made a shiver run down Rowan's spine, causing her ghostly self threatening to return to the clearing in the woods.

"Dean, outside for a minute?" Sam asked and Rowan heard the shutting and locking of the doors. She saw the brothers walk out, looking worried. "We can't be considering this." He said and Dean looked at him, puzzled.

"You heard him. Kills anything and everything. Sounds good to me." Dean said and Sam had this pleading look in his eyes.

"He also said there was a price. For a weapon like that, the price has got to be huge." Sam said and Rowan wanted to tell Dean to listen, that his brother was right. She didn't like the sound of this First Blade and she wanted to ask Crowley if this is how he planned keeping them off her trail. If so, then she was really going to be angry. There was no way she was letting them do something like that.

"I know." Dean said, sounding a little remorseful. "Like the trails." He said and Sam's expression became blank. "You can't tell me those trials didn't do something to you." He added and Rowan was relieved that Dean wasn't a horse with blinders; he noticed how tired his brother seemed.

"There has to be another way." Sam said, referring to killing Abaddon. "Did Crowley say anything about Rowan?" he asked, so eager to change the topic.

"He won't talk about Rowan, keeps playing stupid." Dean said, giving into the change of subject, like they both needed it. He rubbed his face, also looking tired and part of her wanted to lecture them about not getting enough sleep. She was fine, they didn't need to worry about her, so sleep damn it!

Leave Abaddon to her.

"She took off." Sam said, looking like his dog just died. That sight stunned Rowan for a moment. Wait, did he really care about her? He wasn't just being friendly and sensitive? "She knew we weren't telling her the entire truth and went to find the answers herself. That's why there's pieces of tape everywhere; Rowan's marked the places she had already searched." He added and Dean glanced at him, slightly surprised.

"You okay?" he asked and Sam just nodded. Rowan wanted to shout and tell him of course, his brother was _not fine_. Couldn't he see that? He was heartbroken.

"Just tired." Sam said and walked away to his room. Dean simply stood there, looking stressed, and glancing back at the door sealing Crowley away.

The bunker faded from view and Rowan opened her eyes, looking up at the sky. She sat up and glanced around, seeing Fenrir still relaxed on that rock. How could he be so comfortable on a rock? She pushed herself up from the ground and walked over to her brother, sitting on the rock beside him. It was pretty huge.

"This is _my_ rock." Fenrir said, although his eyes were closed, he was paying full attention to his surroundings.

"Going to push me off?" Rowan asked and smiled as a little grin broke out on his lips.

"Don't tempt me." he replied, placing his hands behind his head, sunbathing, despite his clothes covering most of his skin.

At that moment, Rowan knew her Draugar had returned. She glanced out at the clearing, seeing they had appeared within a couple of feet from her.

"Abaddon is gaining supporters. Those that remain faithful to Crowley are staying out of her way. She had her army stealing souls and torturing them into becoming demons." Agmundr said with a hint of alarm in his eyes.

"Unfortunately Milady, we weren't able to find those of old Helheim days." Bjarni added, looking disappointed. "Either they sided up with Abaddon or they're dead." She said and Rowan nodded her head, glancing at Raganhar.

"I've got nothing." he said, which made Rowan smile. "But I imagine you do." he added and she nodded.

"What do you know about the First Blade?" she asked them and could have sworn their faces paled.


	23. Chapter 23

**Now or Never**

Rowan's Draugar exchanged glances and stepped up closer to her, looking worried.

"Where did you hear of this, Milday?" Bjarni asked as the other two continued to glance at each other with concern.

"The Winchesters want to kill Abaddon and Crowley told them the First Blade kills anything and everything." Rowan said, not really having to mention the fact that she astral projected herself in the bunker. "It's what Cain used to kill his brother." She added and her friends looked at her with concern.

"Well Milday," Agmundr began. "The thing Crowley doesn't know about the First Blade is that it comes with something else." he added, looking a little nervous.

"A price." Rowan said and Bjarni widened her eyes for a second, as if to say that was an understatement.

"A mark. Crowley might know of this then and if so, he's indeed a scoundrel." Raganhar had corrected not only Rowan, but Agmundr. "The Mark of Cain acts like an itch that can't be scratched. It irritates and drives the host to kill without control. That is what gives the First Blade power. Without the Mark, the Blade is useless." He added, explaining why they seemed so worried.

"If one of the Winchesters was to have this Mark, and they died, they'd return as a demon." Bjarni added and that seemed to scare her. It even scared Rowan.

"Lucifer had this Mark, that's what caused him to be the way he was." Agmundr said and Rowan was stunned. Had her father known he was the host of the Mark? "Abel was talking to Lucifer, which worried Cain. They struck a deal, Cain killed Abel, sending him to Heaven, and Lucifer passed on the Mark to Cain who then used the First Blade to slaughter and train the Knights of Hell." He added which seemed to justify why this made them nervous.

"How did Lucifer get the Mark in the first place?" Rowan asked and they exchanged glances of uncertainty.

"Lucifer never shared that detail." Raganhar replied, which made Rowan wonder what was going on in Heaven before her father left. There seems to be much more than just feuding brothers.

"If the Winchesters were seriously going to take Crowley's suggestion, they'd have to go to Cain and have him pass on the Mark. The First Blade, however, is nowhere to be found. Cain had retired and settled down. He killed most of the Knights, but Abaddon." Bjarni said.

"Abaddon killed the woman he loved." Agmundr added, which made Rowan worried to hear all of this. She had to kill Abaddon before the Winchesters decided to seek Crowley's help on finding the First Blade. She had to make sure they went nowhere near that damned animal jawbone.

"I guess it's now or never to get Abaddon's attention." Rowan said, which made her Draugar smile with anticipation while trying to hide their concern. "What is it?" she asked and they all tried to convince her they weren't worried, but she wasn't buying it.

"What does this Abaddon chick look like?" Fenrir asked from his rock, still sunbathing.

"Like someone you don't want to tick off." Bjarni said, going on to describe her clothing that would fit someone like Joan Jett, but a personality of Vlad the Impaler. When Rowan turned to look at Fenrir, he eyed her from head to toe and gave her a small smile.

"Yeah, Abaddon is going to be scared of a college student." He said and she narrowed her eyes.

"It's not what I'm wearing that matters." Rowan said and, although her Draugar agreed with her, she could tell it did matter. She exhaled and motioned for her brother to get up. "Let's go shopping then." She said, which didn't set right with Fenrir.

"No way. I've avoided shopping with my sister all these years. I'm not sitting down, holding your purse and watching you try on twenty different outfits." He said and she frowned at him. "I know that much about women." He concluded.

"Fine, then give me your car keys." She said and he scowled.

"You're Hel. You can't just teleport? Your demons can do it." he said and returned to his relaxation period.

"Draugar." Rowan corrected and then exhaled with irritation. "Fine. My brother's too busy soaking in the sun. Let's go." She added, taking Bjarni's hand. The other two joined in and glanced at Rowan.

"Picture a place and simply bring yourself there." Bjarni said softly to Rowan, looking like she might enjoy shopping too. She thought of all the stores she knew growing up and when she went to college, trying to think of the best store. Then, she found it. She envisioned the store in one of the many towns where she had lived for a short period of time. It was a store where she always wanted to shop as a teen, but her foster parents wouldn't let her; clothes like that were for thugs and prostitutes.

And death deities that wanted to rock a killer outfit so she could kill a Knight of Hell trying to be the Queen of Hell. If looks matter, than hers would say: _Hel is back, bitch._

Rowan felt like the earth beneath her feet was shifting, bending itself to her will. When she looked around, she was in that town, across the street from the clothing store with the awesome name _Wicked Stitches_ above the door.

"Excellent, Milady." Bjarni said, letting go of Rowan's hand. There was barely any traffic and even if there were, she'd dodge them without concern. They walked into the store without getting any stares. You'd have to be dressed up like a high-class conservative jerk to get a few stares in a store like that.

The walls of the store were painted black as Rowan remembered, but the punk-rock décor was new. The mannequins were dressed up in both men and women fashion that looked like rock stars. The clothes hung off the walls, on the racks in the store and on counters, all laid out in an open concept, with women's clothes to the left and men's to the right.

Agmundr and Raganhar sat down in the black leather chairs that were in the center of the store where they could look at the magazines and have a clear sight of the changing rooms.

"So, Abaddon's all badass." Rowan said and Bjarni nodded, looking at some of the leather jackets. "Wouldn't I be looking like her?" she asked, looking at all the clothes. "I'm Hel. Is there a guide to dressing like a death deity?" she asked and Bjarni grinned as she turned to the black mesh shirts just behind her.

"Would a dress be more appropriate?" Bjarni asked, which got Rowan to arch an eyebrow. "Classy is the new bitchy." She added, which got Rowan to grin.

"I don't know." She replied and went to the corner where black dresses hung off the walls at eye level and that were also on the racks behind Rowan. Would she be stylish in a black dress? Why did it matter anyway? Then again, dressing like a college student didn't quite say _Death Goddess, grrr… fear me_.

But what did?

Then, she thought of Crowley, how he wore that expensive business suit. Appearances did matter when you wanted to be threatening. But being threatening while wearing a dress? That seemed more like _Death Princess… don't splatter your blood on my shoes_.

Until Rowan came upon a dress she was certain would make her look elegant and powerful. She was a Goddess, might as well look the part. Rowan took it off the rack and went into the changing room, tearing her clothes off and getting into the dress. She looked at herself in the mirror and her aura of power began to glow. There, for the first time, Rowan could see her hazel eyes become light brown, then dark brown, shifting into those eyes Crowley had described to her. Staring back at her were those black eyes with smoky gray pupils. Her aura seemed to simmer off of her body, making her look exactly like a Death Goddess.

Rowan let it go on, watching as if she were a living photo being overlaid on another; the ghostly skeleton over her usual human looking self. The skull glowing through fallen flesh, the bones of her arms and hands, making her look like a zombie. She was incredibly awesome.

Apparently looking classy did make her look terrifying, not to forget to mention to zombie look.

She loved the long black dress, with the lace overlay which covered a sweetheart neckline for the feminine look as well as the entire dress. It was sleeveless and there was an open back with details that enhanced her natural curves. There was a wonderful dramatic thigh slit that showed off a tasteful amount of her bare leg.

It was a dress that would probably make Crowley wonder what came over him as he panted like a dog in heat for its mate.

Rowan stepped out of the changing room and had the eyes of her Draugar on her, stunned, like they were seeing her for the first time. Bjarni came over with some black studded leather peep toe pumps and some amethyst dangling earrings complete with bracelets in a silver band.

With the outfit complete, Rowan had everyone's eyes on her, probably because her aura was glowing, making her _look_ deadly.

"Milady," Raganhar said, standing up. "You are stunning." He added as Agmundr and Bjarni stared in awe. Rowan smiled and approached them, taking their hands.

"You going to pay for that, Miss?" one punk rock girl asked from behind the cashier counter. Rowan looked at her and smiled darkly before envisioning the clearing in the woods where Fenrir was still sunbathing. The best part of being a Goddess is disappearing without having to pay, that would have been so useful back in her teenage years where she shoplifted and ran like hell, but that only happened a couple of times or so. It's not like she was keeping count.

As soon as Fenrir noticed them, he propped himself on his elbows and stared at Rowan in disbelief.

"Try not to gawk, brother." She said, standing under the sun, running a hand through her golden brown hair that cut to her shoulders which were instantly beginning to curl in lose waves.

"You going to a fancy party?" Fenrir asked and she shot him a cold glare.

"Not only do you _not_ know how to talk to women, you know _nothing_ of fashion." Rowan said, flipping her hair over her shoulder with a dark grin.


	24. Chapter 24

**Dressed to Kill**

Rowan turned to her Draugar, seeing that Bjarni was gone. Hadn't she come back with them? Rowan glanced at Agmundr and then at Raganhar with a frown.

"Bjarni was summoned." Raganhar quickly replied.

"One of our sources probably has information." Agmundr then added, which reassured Rowan. She couldn't be happier to have them around. She turned to her brother, seeing him finally getting off his rock.

"So, we're just going to wait around for Abaddon?" Fenrir asked, looking eager for some unknown reason. "What? Got to have an entrance?" he asked and Rowan looked casually at him, giving a slight smile.

"What's a Death Goddess without an entrance?" Rowan asked and her brother glanced around at the woods.

"Waiting in a forest while her rival is off killing." Fenrir said which got him an elegant frown from his sister. "I swear you're acting different in that dress." He said and when she arched an eyebrow, he grinned. "More _posh_." He added and she seemed to be ignoring his comment.

"It's called _class_." She replied looking at her nails. As she stared at them, a glossy black covered her pale nails. She smiled with pride and glanced at her brother who didn't seem to understand the transformation his sister had undergone.

At that moment, Bjarni returned, looking a little concerned.

"Abaddon is going back on Crowley's deals, collecting the souls early and torturing them to create a much larger support team for herself." Bjarni said and that didn't seem to be all. "She also got some demons to gather some people in order to lure out the Winchesters. She must have figured they have Crowley." she concluded and Rowan felt a surge of panic running through her veins. This wasn't good at all.

"Well, it seems we won't be waiting around, at least not here." She said, looking at her brother with a sort of seriousness in her eyes. "Mind helping out?" she asked him.

"You mean act like a guard dog?" he asked her and she approached him with a slight smile.

"More like the sharp teeth bearing down on breaking-and-entering assholes." Rowan replied, which made her brother grin. She thought he'd like that. She looped her arm with his, glancing at the Draugar. "To the Men of Letters' bunker, my friends. I'll find a way to slip you in." she added, envisioning the foyer of the place just underneath the front door.

Fenrir glanced around that bunker, as if his mind couldn't comprehend being in location A and then location B in a split second. As he adjusted, Rowan turned to the wall, sensing the wards left long before the Winchesters. She could sense the wall of protection like she could visibly see it. And she could also break it if she wanted to. However, that wasn't her intention.

If Crowley could be held in the dungeon, that there was obviously a loop hole somewhere.

And Rowan found out easily enough. She pulled them into the bunker like she would a soul from a deceased body, finding that the ward only suppressed demonic power, but not the vessel. Her Draugar would be useless here, but she refused to leave them out there if Abaddon and her demons were ever to find them.

They stood beside her, looking around at the place.

"Stay here." Rowan said and began walking up the steps, her heels clacking against the tiles of the floor. She could sense where the Winchesters were and she turned down the corridors, careful to not make too much noise. She turned into the doorway of the kitchen, watching them eat while deep in thought, unaware they had guests.

She couldn't help but feel nostalgic just looking at them. The last time they had seen her she was just a college student who had faced a monster, never to be the same again. Now, despite what they fought to prevent, she remembered that she was Hel, Ruler of the realm of the dead.

"Sorry I didn't leave a note." Rowan said, startling the two brothers who dropped their food on the table and jumped up, as if ready to fight or flight.

"Rowan?" Sam asked as they looked at her. She was definitely a different person compared to the girl they brought to their home. Her long black lace dress had them staring at her like they were enchanted by her beauty.

"Hel, to be exact, but you can still call me Rowan." She replied, stepping in with a friendly smile. She took notice of the concern in their eyes and knew they would be questioning if she was an ally or a frienemy. "Sorry to let myself, but it's important." She added, gesturing that they sit back down. Sam gave her his chair and got himself a stool from the counter. When they were seated, Rowan began with her friends because if she didn't, they'd question if they could trust her. "Just to let you know, my friends are, what you'd call, demons." She said and Dean immediately glanced at Sam with alarm in his eyes. "Please relax, they were my guards before Lucifer got hold of Helheim and tortured them into demons. They're loyal to me and don't pose a threat. Plus, they're as harmful as a basket of kittens in this place." she concluded, which still didn't reassure the Winchesters.

"You said it was important." Dean said with hard eyes, making Rowan smile as he resembled Fenrir in a mild way.

"Abaddon plans to lure you two out into an ambush." Rowan said bluntly, which seemed to satisfy Dean, only it was bad news that unsettled him as much as it did his brother. However, there wasn't just worry in Dean's eyes as he locked gazes with Sam. There was a silent conversation going on in between them and Rowan was pretty sure it had to do with the First Blade. "You better not be considering Crowley's suggestion." She said, which got them to look at her with stunned expressions.

"How did you know?" Sam asked and she gave him a slight smile.

"Let's just say I can be in two places at once." She replied and glanced at Dean, knowing he was the one that was susceptible to falling into Crowley's bad idea. "The First Blade does have a price, one you don't want, trust me." Rowan said and glanced at Sam as she continued. "You would need the Mark of Cain which is what makes the First Blade so deadly to _everything_. That is some serious bad shit." She concluded and glanced at Dean, narrowing her eyes as if to deter him from this idea.

"But we need a weapon to kill Abaddon. The First Blade might be the only thing." Sam said, not liking the idea, but not seeing anything else.

"Are you suggesting something else?" Dean asked her and she smiled at him. "What else could kill Abaddon?" Rowan's smile turned dark as she sat back in the chair.

"You're looking at it." she replied, her voice suddenly chilling, as were her eyes that had turned dark.

"You can kill Abaddon?" Sam asked and she smiled at him.

"I predate Abaddon. I'm Hel, a death deity. Crowley was confident of that." Rowan said, that got them to narrow their eyes at her, repeating those words in their minds.

"I knew that son of a bitch was lying." Dean said and Rowan gave a slight grin.

"He doesn't lie as much as he withholds information." She corrected, sitting forward in her chair. "And I'd say you both have that in common." she said, getting Dean to meet her eyes. "Crowley helped me remember who I was, knowing I could take out Abaddon. Of course, he did that so his rival could be eliminated and he didn't tell me he's King of Hell, but you have to understand it's his nature to be conniving." Rowan said and the brothers just stared at her with a hint of repulsion on their faces. Was she really defending Crowley? They couldn't comprehend it and she didn't want to explain why she liked Crowley so much.

Then, Sam's expression changed, as if there was something he absolutely had to get off his chest.

"I'm sorry we didn't tell you." Sam said and she looked at him with soft eyes. "We thought we could give you a chance to live a normal life if you couldn't remember." He added and she gave him a warm smile.

"I was bound to remember at some point and that was my decision to make, not yours." Rowan said softly, despite how cold the words seemed. "But it's all forgiven." She added, which made Sam relax. "Now, before we continue talking about Abaddon, I have to tell you Sam that if you don't rest, you'll find yourself in a coma." She concluded, which alarmed both brothers.

"What?" Sam asked.

"It's because of the trials, right?" Dean asked and Rowan nodded, meeting his worried eyes for a brief moment, then looking back at Sam.

"I can see that death lingers on you, draining you. I can help." She said, standing up and standing before Sam, her hands out, palms up. "Give me your hands." She said softly, meeting his eyes with warmth.

"How can you help him?" Dean asked and she smiled.

"Considering my father was an Archangel and death is my business, I'm gonna say healing Sam, removing that cold hand of death that's stuck on you." Rowan said and her smile widened as Sam placed his hands in hers, looking a little hesitant and nervous. "You're going to feel a slight tingling sensation. Don't be worried." She concluded and focused her attention on what she sensed within Sam. She was drawing it out, taking it into herself. She could see glowing lines on Sam's arms, traveling up his hands and transferring into her own where the glowing lines disappeared.

"Feels more like an electric jolt." Sam replied with a nervous smile, which got her to let out a small laugh.

"It won't last long." She replied, feeling that poison that had been in Sam all this time, slowing killing him. It had no affect on her, as if she was immune. Then, the glowing lines were completely out of Sam and he already looked better. "How does that feel?" Rowan asked him.

"I feel reenergized." He replied, smiling at her with an immense amount of gratitude in his eyes. She smiled and him, giving his hands a slight squeeze.

"Good. You two should take better care of yourselves. You both need to rest more." She said, glancing at Dean. "You both deserve a bit of TLC because if you don't take the time to relax, the world will have its two greatest heroes so tired that they won't be able to fight their way out of a paper bag." She concluded, making Sam let out a small laugh and getting Dean to smile a bit.

Then, to ruin the moment, Fenrir stepped in, looking at the Winchesters with a cold hardness in his eyes. When Dean looked up at him, Rowan released Sam's hands and turned to her brother.

"Don't be rude." She said and sat back down in her chair. "This is my brother, Fenrir." She introduced. "He's not as fierce as he looks." She concluded and Fenrir snorted in response.

"I'm exactly as fierce as I look." He added and approached, staring mostly at Dean who seemed a little unsettled, but determined not to let some guy stare him down in his own home.

"Now, for the evening, whatever you do, I want you to stay here with Fenrir while I take care of Abaddon." Rowan said, getting no argument from the Winchesters despite any discomfort they have about the whole situation. She got out of her chair, smoothing out her dress. "And leave Crowley to me." she concluded, getting Dean to stand up in protest.

"Crowley is –" he began, but she calmly lifted up her hand, getting him to cut his sentence short.

"I will not negotiate." Rowan said, her voice and expression stern despite her calmness. Dean didn't seem to like that, but he didn't seem stupid enough to argue with a Death Goddess. "You both have my word that no harm comes to you. I appreciate what you have done for me and if you ever need my help, I'll be around." She concluded, giving them a soft smile, then turning to her brother, giving him a tender tap on his muscular arm as he had crossed his arms over his chest, looking like a bouncer to keep the hunters in the kitchen. "Be nice." She said smiling up at him and then walking out of the kitchen so gracefully.

Her little chat with Crowley was going to be either pleasant or business, which to Crowley probably would be one of the same.


	25. Chapter 25

**Strike a Deal**

Rowan walked down the corridors, her heels clacking against the floor. She was certain to surprise Crowley, in more than one way, as she had some surprising things to say.

The lock on those doors fell to the floor, the doors opening by themselves as Rowan turned around that familiar corner, walking into that room. Crowley immediately gave her a dark smile as she stepped into the dungeon, standing in the light where he could see her long black lace dress, her amethyst earrings and her wavy golden brown hair.

"And you thought you'd find me first." She said with a small smile.

"Chickadee, you look like a Goddess." He said with a mischievous grin, his eyes falling mostly on her body, the dress highlighting the curve of her waist, the hourglass figure down to her hips, the slender length of her legs, especially one foot in front of the other, that slit revealing her leg up to her thigh.

"You lied to me." Rowan said, her smile gone from her lips. Crowley's eyes came back up to hers, maintaining a little grin.

"I didn't lie –" he began, until she cut him off.

"As much as you did withhold information." She said and he smiled as if she understood him. She did, a little more than she cared to. "Makes no difference to me." she added, crossing her arms over her chest to further show how she wasn't impressed. "You could have told me you're the King of Hell." She said and his lips twisted into a proud grin.

"Didn't want to take the chance." He said and she approached, walking around the table and leaning against it beside him, like she used to do, which pleased him; he could have a closer look at her leg poking out from her dress.

"You thought I'd see you as an obstacle and you decided befriending me was best, since I was a shadow of who I used to be. I wasn't a threat to you. So, you tell me about Abaddon, knowing I'd want her out of my way, which then takes her out of your way, and then what, Crowley? What was your plan then?" Rowan asked, looking down at him still with her arms crossed. His attention seemed to be on her leg, but his eyes met hers and she knew he heard every single word that passed through her lips.

"Say you want to take back Hell. What then? It's changed since the last time you were there. There's no souls of the dead, just demons." He replied and she nodded, confirming her theory.

"You thought we'd enter into a partnership." She said and he gave her a small grin. "I'd be happy and you'd still have your throne." She added and he gave a slight nod, like it was a possibility. He was clever, she knew that, but it still surprised her. As annoyed as she felt, Rowan couldn't help but smile.

"I knew you wouldn't be angry with me." he said in a smooth voice, but it sounded like mockery to her ears. She glanced back at him, her smile vanishing.

"I am angry that you told the Winchesters about the First Blade." Rowan said and Crowley seemed surprised. "What made you think that was a good idea?" she asked him.

"It's the most dangerous weapon in the world. I'm surprised you even know about it." he said and she gasped at him, looking offended.

"I know stuff." She replied and shifted her feet so if her leg did poke out of the slit, it wouldn't be towards him. "I also know that the First Blade is useless without the Mark of Cain which I'm sure it's something you were going to withhold from the Winchesters." Rowan added and watched as his gaze went to the table, jaw set as if he was thinking. "Now who's clever." She said, getting his attention and a forced grin.

"Who told you?" he asked and she smiled, as if gloating.

"I have demons loyal to me, if you must know. They were my guards before Lucifer tortured them. They were my Draugar, souls still attached to their corpses so they could walk the earth with me." she replied with pride. "They report everything to me." she concluded with her chin high and a dark smile on her lips.

Crowley's grin wasn't forced now as he looked at her. It was as if he was proud of her, seeing her as an equal. Or was Rowan reading too much into it?

However he smiled at her, this next part he wasn't going to enjoy.

"Well, we struck one deal. Prepared to strike another?" she asked him and his grin widened.

"Kill Abaddon and rule together?" he asked and she nodded.

"A partnership." Rowan said, but her expression became slightly cold. "We're not a threat to each other, so you don't have to keep sweet talking me or calling me Chickadee. I'm Hel and I may or may not want to recreate Helheim, but I don't intend to do anything to you." She added and a grin broke out on his slightly confused face.

"Not even if I ask nicely?" he asked, being cheeky like usual.

"Are you really interested in me or was that just a ruse?" Rowan asked and he was about to refute that last statement, she was sure, but she wasn't finished. "Is it because I'm a death deity or because you were almost human for a moment?" she asked and there was a sort of blank expression on his face, as if she struck a nerve. Any warmth or charm he had was gone. "I need to know. I'll honor our deal and our partnership, but I need the truth." Rowan concluded, standing up, the table being pushed towards the wall like she had the first time. The chains and the handcuffs unclasped and fell to the floor, releasing him from any binding.

Crowley stood out of his chair and, before she could put out her hands warning against any cheeky tricks to stalling the answer she demanded, he placed his hands on her hips, pulling her into him as he kissed her. With her heels, she was just a little taller than him, but it was as if her legs grew weak, making her melt in his arms.

The table suddenly came back in the center of the room, by Crowley no doubt, and he lifted her up onto the table like he had in the kitchen a while ago. He pushed his way in between her knees and held her tightly against him as his hands stroked her thighs. Her dress was threatening to rip, but Rowan didn't care. Her mind could rationalize that he was telling her just what she wanted to hear, or feel in this case, but she was certain this attraction was mutual, or else he wouldn't be sticking his tongue in her mouth and trying to stick something else in her.

Rowan broke the kiss, smiling as she kept Crowley at bay with her hands pressed against his chest.

"Okay, I'm convinced. Now, do we have a deal?" she asked, looking deep into those dark eyes that glimmered with seduction. Or was that a reflection of her own eyes? He replied by taking her wrists and holding her tightly against him, pressing his lips hard against hers, his tongue resuming their heated kiss.

They had a deal; kill Abaddon and rule together.

But it was more than that. It wasn't just a partnership. It was a relationship.

Rowan would have undone his belt and pants like she had the last time, when someone just out in the hallway cleared their deep throat, nearly in a warning grumbling way, that interrupted their alone time. Crowley made a sort of gruntled noise just before breaking their kiss with a slight grin on his face, as the intruder walked in. Rowan didn't have to look to know it was her brother.

"This is my brother, Fenrir." Rowan said, frowned at her brother who just invited himself in. his eyebrows were raised as he looked at them and, judging by his arms tightly flexed over his chest, he wasn't thrilled. "He's rude to everyone." She added with an innocent smile cast at her brother who now fixed his eyes on her, disapprovingly.

"Abaddon just tried to lure out the Winchesters. Do you want to wrap this up or wait for Abaddon to kill those people?" Fenrir asked, getting a scowl from Rowan.

"Yeah, give us a minute." Rowan said and her scowl deepened as Fenrir cast a slightly arched eyebrow at Crowley before leaving. "I need to get him a girlfriend." She added and Crowley gave a soft grunt as if to agree, only now releasing his grip on her wrists.

"Yes, I'm sure it's suppressed sexual frustration." He said, getting her attention along with a grin.

"You should tell him that." She said as she ran her hands up his shoulders and around his neck. "And we'll definitely continue this later." Rowan said, giving him a soft kiss before letting him go. He held out a hand to her as she gracefully slid off the table and gestured to her to take the lead.

They walked out of the dungeon and into the foyer where everyone waited. Sam and Dean had joined and unhappily agreed to stay behind with Fenrir. Rowan's Draugar looked at Crowley and she knew they weren't showing abhor towards him for her sake.

"Where is she?" Rowan asked, glancing at her Draugar, and then turning to Crowley with a slight smile, wanting to concluded their little moment with a little promise. "I'll see you soon." She said as Bjarni responsed to her question. Crowley gave her a small grin in reply.

"Parking lot of the abandoned factory just out of the town here." Bjarni replied, looking eager to go.

"Milady?" Agmundr asked, not sure what Rowan had in mind in terms of an attack plan.

"Is it stormy out?" Rowan asked them.

"No." Raganhar replied. "It's still sunny." He added and the door of the bunker opened on its own, allowing them to regain a bit of access to their demonic powers.

"That's going to change." Rowan replied as vanished. The Draugar vanished from inside the bunker, joining her outside just as the door closed, keeping the rest of them safe inside.


	26. Chapter 26

**The Bell Tolls**

As Rowan stood outside, looking up at the sky, her Draugar watched her with curiosity. The sky immediately darkened with storm clouds that blocked out the sun. There was thunder and lightning, but no rain. The darkness began to spread until they wasn't a spot of light or blue sky to be seen, until it seemed as dark as night.

"Milady?" Bjarni asked, looking at the sky.

"Just letting Abaddon know what's coming her way." Rowan said, turning to her Draugar, her eyes glowing like the storm above. "Meet me there." She added and then envisioned the abandoned factory. Fenrir had passed it earlier and, although she hadn't stared at it, she caught a glimpse of it. As she envisioned it, she felt the shift beneath her feet, carrying her to where Abaddon awaited.

She stood in the parking lot, not far from the building behind her. There, stood about a few demons along with someone that matched Bjarni's description of Abaddon, who now seemed very surprised at her uninvited guest.

"And just who might you be?" Abaddon asked the young woman standing firmly ahead of her, wearing a long black lace dress and studded black pumps. "A little over dressed, aren't you?" she asked as Rowan gave her a dark and sinister smile. The thunder roared throughout the air, lightning cracking through the sky. Rowan unleashed her aura of power, letting her ghostly astral projection shine through like an overlaid picture, making her look like the undead Ruler that she was. Her eyes turned black with a smoky gray shining in the center. Abaddon seemed puzzled, but amused.

"You're too young to recognize me." Rowan said. "But I'll give you a hint. The very place you want to rule has been named after me." she added, giving a very sinister grin.

"For an old hag, you sure are looking pretty good. What's your secret?" Abaddon asked, having fun with stalling.

"I'm a Goddess." Rowan replied and as she spoke the words, the few demons around Abaddon began gasping, their bodies slowly falling to the ground. Abaddon looked at them, watching as their black essence began pouring out of their mouths. At that moment, lightning struck overhead, their essences glowing white and dispersing like a fog.

Abaddon turned her gaze back to Rowan and the demons hidden on the outside of the factory were pulled out in the open, their essences pouring out and dispersing as well.

"I've never seen that before." She said, making Rowan smile with pride.

"I'm just getting rid of the insects." Rowan said, yanking out even the demons within the factory, killing them in the same manner.

"You know I can summon more." Abaddon said and Rowan grinned.

"You do that." She replied and the Draugar appeared around Abaddon at a safe distance. And then, Crowley stood next to Rowan as they outnumbered the Knight of Hell.

"I should have known. What exactly did you do to rein her in?" Abaddon asked Crowley, curious to know why the Goddess Hel had teamed up with the crossroads demon that thought he was King material.

"We both loathe you." Crowley replied, which made Abaddon laugh.

"Then I must be doing something right." She replied and extended her hand, trying to use her power on Crowley, but nothing happened as Rowan's ghostly vapors seem to stretch out in front of him. Abaddon glared at Rowan's ghostly apparition and knew something seemed off. How was this Goddess shielding herself and Crowley from her demonic strength?

So she went with the next best thing. The Factory began to tremble under her intense gaze, pieces coming loose and threatening to give way.

"Didn't expect you, Crowley, to go cowering under the skirt of a Goddess." Abaddon said, stalling so that her plan could work. In a split second, sharp pieces of metal came loose and flew down towards Crowley and Rowan too fast to be stopped. However, the storm had begun blowing harsh winds and the pieces fell just beside Rowan. Then, just as quickly as Abaddon tried a dirty trick, Rowan pulled her own. Lightning struck down as the piece of metal flew up straight at Abaddon, the lightning struck the metal just as it smacked into her causing a bolt to run through her vessel.

It wasn't a fatal blow, but it hurt like Hell judging by the simmering heat off her body. Abaddon's black essence tried to emerge from her vessel's mouth, apparently fleeing, but Rowan held out her hands and sent a wave of fog to wash over her, which quickly made her gasp, her essence getting sucked back in. Abaddon nearly collapsed to the ground.

Some demons had appeared to help Abaddon, but the Draugar brought out long silver blades from their sleeves and fought them off. As more appeared, outnumbering Rowan's faithful guards, they fought fast and hard. Some demons got passed them and tried to help Abaddon, but the fog touched them and forced their essences out of their mouths, dispersing it like dust.

Abaddon lifted her piercing eyes to glare at Crowley and then at Rowan who stared down at her.

"Is that all you got?" Abaddon asked in garbles, but Rowan only stared down at her. The fog began reaching into Abaddon's mouth, making her gag.

"Honey, it's just the beginning." Rowan said, approaching. Any demons that tried to attack her had a long silver blade jabbed into their chests by Crowley or chocked to death by some of her ghostly fog. "I just want you to know that the real Queen of Hell is back. I find it cute that you thought you could take my place." Rowan added with a sinister smile that only became gruesome because the other half of her face was a skull.

Abaddon tried to reply, but the fog that reached into her and grabbed hold of her essence. Her eyes blinked to black and her body went limp on the ground. However, Rowan was able to hear her thoughts as part of her was within her vessel to kill her.

 _Funny, you were never around Hell. How does that make you Queen?_

"You feel that?" Rowan asked with a chilling voice. "That's your essence slowly being snuffed out. You're as perilous as a shark out of water." She added as she knelt down to Abaddon.

The Knight of Hell continued trying to fight back, but her essence was indeed losing power. She tried to reach out to Rowan, curling her fingers like hooks, but that wasn't menacing at all. Rowan gripped her wrist and Abaddon's face fell in horror as the hand of her vessel was slowly turning black. "I'm the Death Goddess, bitch." She concluded, pulling out Abaddon's black essence from her mouth. Rowan blew softly at it and the black smoke faded away; bits of Abaddon were gone.

The demons that supported Abaddon stopped and watched in horror as the great Knight of Hell was slowly disappearing from existence. They began vanishing out of fear, realizing that Rowan was much more ominous that she appeared. The Draugar no longer had anyone to fight, so they watched their Lady of Death kill one of the most powerful demons in Hell.

In an instant, the rest of Abaddon's essence was gone, leaving her lifeless vessel limp on the ground. Rowan stood up, drawing back in her aura of power, the darkened sky and stormy conditions vanished, letting the blue sky and sunlight to shine once again. Rowan's Draugar went into the factory to evacuate the hostages.

"Ravenous." Crowley said, which got Rowan's attention. She turned to him with an arched eyebrow, not quite seeing what made her so greedy. She simply killed Abaddon because she wanted to kill innocent people and turn them into demons so she could take over Hell which wasn't rightfully hers to take. If anyone was ravenous, it'd be Abaddon and Crowley certainly had his place in that category too.

He wrapped an arm around her hourglass figure as he closed the gap between them, staring at her as if she was the most precious and valuable artifact in the world.

The Draugar stepped out of the factory and Rowan watched as the people fled, looking down at the woman that wanted them there, for some unknown reason. Her lifeless body seemed to scare them, but Rowan also saw relief.

"I could show you Hell, once I get it settled down." He said and she glanced at him with another arch of her eyebrows.

"We're partners, remember?" she said with a slight grin.

"Trust me on this one, Chickadee." Crowley said which made Rowan's grin change into a smile. "I have to clean up the place." he added and then placed a tender kiss on her temple before vanishing.

The Draugar stepped up to Rowan with some bloody scratches, but nothing harmful.

"I'm going back to the bunker. You could see what's up in Hell." She said and they were gone, leaving Rowan with the empty vessels the demons had used. She glanced down at Abaddon's vessel and knew that she had used someone of importance that had a link to the Men of Letters. Rowan also saw how she had killed Cain's wife. She saw more than she cared to have known, but at least the bitch was dead.

Rowan envisioned the bunker and was there in a second flat. She was standing in the foyer just by the spiral staircase. She walked down to the kitchen where she could sense the Winchesters and her brother. When she turned and stood in the doorway, she was stunned by what she saw.

All three were drinking at the table like they were friends. When Fenrir looked up and noticed her, she gave her a small smile.

"Want some scotch?" he asked and she walked in, eyes on him suspiciously. All of a sudden he was getting along with the Winchesters? How did that happen. "I heard you drank the whole bottle of whiskey." He added and she narrowed her eyes.

"Half of it went to Crowley." she corrected.

"You shared our whiskey with him?" Dean asked and Fenrir sighed as if he understood the annoyance.

"That's just not cool." Fenrir said, giving her a little grin.

He was getting along _too well_ with the Winchesters.

"So, did you find Abaddon?" Dean asked and she smiled at him.

"And killed her." she said and he just stared blankly at her, as if stunned that it didn't take her long. "I don't waste time in killing those that tick me off." she concluded and looked back at her brother, very curious to know what Dean and Fenrir did to bond like BFFs.


	27. Chapter 27

**Work, No Play**

Rowan shook her head at her brother, too tired to really care how the Winchesters tamed her wild brother who was rude to everyone, not just her. She turned and was about to walk out, heading to her room, when she sensed and then heard those footsteps behind her.

"Rowan." Sam whispered softly. She stopped, giving him a warm smile.

"Sam." She replied, getting him to smile. He was pretty cute when he smiled.

"We haven't touched anything in your room. We found your cell phone in the kitchen, so I placed it on your nightstand." He said, a little nervous, which Rowan found cute. "Just thought I'd tell you." He concluded, which Rowan knew was just a cover. He really wanted to talk to her. Just talk.

"Thanks, Sam." She replied and he seemed really nervous, like he was running out of things to say.

"You can always stay. For as long as you need. Whenever you need." He said, screwing up a bit, judging by the redness in his cheeks. "You're always welcome here." He added, which seemed to be what he wanted to say. Rowan couldn't see her ever staying in the bunker, unless Crowley and she had a disagreement, but she couldn't say for sure if something like that would ever happen. She knew it was just a kind gesture from Sam and she really appreciated it.

"Thanks, Sam. I appreciate your kindness. If you had been like Dean, I think I would have refused going home with you that night." Rowan said, which got Sam to let out a small laugh. Yeah, he was cute when he smiled, but adorable when he laughed.

It was a little awkward how silence feel heavy on them, but Sam handled it quite well.

"I'll let you rest." He said and she smiled.

"Don't forget to do the same." she said, seeing that smile on his face before he turned away. He cared about her, but he also knew there was something between her and Crowley. He was a good man and if he had been in her life sooner, she wouldn't have struck a deal with Crowley. Sam was the good guy that she would have wanted after leaving foster homes and entering college.

Rowan continued to her room that was still untouched. She closed the door behind her, quickly getting out of her shoes. They were fabulous, but a pain in the ass. She pulled her blankets down and get in, dress and all, and quickly fell into sleep. Only, now since she remembered she was a Goddess, all those humans requirements simply became pleasures; like sleeping was now a pleasure.

However, now was a necessity as she was just adjusting to being Hel again. She drifted into a dream that she knew wasn't a dream at all. She was astral projecting in her room, looking at herself sleeping. Then, it would appear as if someone was summoning her; a pull that seem to nag at her until she cooperated.

She was standing in a dark room with gold trim going around on the walls furnished with some antique chairs, tables, cabinets of oddities and shelves full of old books. There were just old things in that room, but there was also an old man sitting in one of those chairs, reading a book. He had very sharp features and just looking at him, Rowan knew he was powerful. He was like her; she could sense death.

He looked up at her and meeting his eyes, she knew who he was even if she hadn't met him before.

"I thought it would be best if we sat down for a discussion." He said, closing his book. Rowan couldn't help but feel a condescending air about him. She arched an eyebrow and he gestured to the chair next to him. She walked up, still in her black lace dress, and sat down in the chair opposite to him, making her feel like they were on some talk show.

"So, what is this exactly? Meeting of the death deities?" Rowan asked with a slight smile that didn't have any effect on the old guy.

"My name is Death. I am not a death deity. You are Hel, ruler of the realm of the dead, named Helheim. Also not a death deity." He said and her smile vanished, replaced with an unappreciative frown.

"We're becoming fast friends. I can just feel it." Rowan said sarcastically, still wearing her frown.

"My job is to oversee the living that have reached their time of death. My reapers collect their souls. You are to keep them in the Underworld." He added, still being a condescending jerk.

"Thanks for the History lesson. Here's one for one; Lucifer took Helheim and changed it and my father took away my memories. I just got them back, but Helheim is now Hell, so good luck with that." Rowan replied, adding a frosty glare in her eyes.

"Which is why we're having this discussion." Death said, which confused Rowan.

"What?" she asked and he simply looked at her as if he was getting impatient. Really? She lost her patience since he starting telling her what her job was as a non-death deity.

"We are both ancient beings that contain more knowledge than the most powerful creatures ever created. We have had our roles since the beginning of time – well, I have." He replied, reaching another level of asshole. "The point is, Rowan, rebuilding Helheim would take much more time that it did to destroy it. You cannot do it alone." He added and, besides the surprise she felt that he knew her current name, she was surprised to hear she couldn't do it alone.

"My partner Crowley will help, I'm sure." She replied and he only stared at her as if she had said there were dancing purple dotted elephants in front of them.

"What can a demon do?" he asked and she frowned at him.

"He does know more about Hell than I do." Rowan replied, like it wasn't obvious. Death just stared at her as if her words went through one ear and out the other.

"Are you familiar with the Greek version of the Underworld?" Death asked and she arched an eyebrow at him with a slight irritation.

"I suffered a memory loss, not a blow to the head making me stupid." Rowan replied and he gave her this stare as if she was being unreasonable. "The souls entered the Underworld, faced three judges, and were sorted into either the Elysian Fields for the good or the not so fun place for bad deeds." Rowan added as she expected Death to give her a gold sticker for being a smart cookie.

"Helheim accepted all, allowing the souls to continue living as they had on earth. The unruly were dealt with in a reasonable manner in a darker place of your realm." He said and she tried to bit her tongue from exploding at this old bugger. Look at him sounding like he was the ruler of Helheim! "I know this annoys you, but the importance is that things have changed. The best solution in restoring Helheim is to fashion it after the Hades' version of the Underworld." Death added and Rowan looked down at her nails to keep herself from digging them into his face.

"Yes, all those cultures with similar tales of the Afterlife; judged in death and sent to the appropriate location to spend eternity. All bullshit. Helheim was the only place and because it was ruled by a Goddess, those humans thought _that_ was bullshit and they created their own stories." Rowan said and, once again, it went through one ear and out the other in Death's old head.

"Now, Crowley may be free to preside over Hell, taking wicked souls and those who have sold it out of greed. You, my dear, will take the rest. All one Underworld. Hell and Helheim." Death said and Rowan looked at him, knowing that that was the only way Crowley and she could rule together without uprising demons or arguments in their relationship. "I suppose you'll want to continue going by _Rowan_ as to not confuse _Hel_ with _Hell_." He added and that went through her ear and out the other.

"So this is where you offer to help me?" Rowan asked and Death gave her this little impressed smirk. "I can't stand you as it is; what makes you think we can work together on this project?" she asked and he took no offense, which surprised her.

"I have no concerns of us working together, as you realize that this is the best solution. Now, I highly recommend that you employ an angel named Gadreel. He is deserving of a second chance and requires sanctuary." Death said and she cocked her head at this idea. "You have not heard of him through your sheltered childhood amongst the Gods, but Gadreel was the angel responsible for the fall of Eden, tricked by Lucifer. He's been tortured and kept prisoner in Heaven until the recent closure, thanks to Castiel." Death said and still Rowan stared at him with confusion. "That would be Dean's private guardian angel." he added and Rowan could tell there was sarcasm to that remark.

"Where is Gadreel?" Rowan asked, not interested in hearing about Heaven's doors shutting closed due to Dean's angelic friend. That wasn't her department, but with the fact that souls go to Heaven, she had a feeling it would become important to this project with Death.

"Safe. He's currently portraying himself as Ezekiel, a highly respected angel." Death replied and Rowan couldn't help but want to help him, regardless of how Death was trying to convince her he could help rebuild Helheim. "He could help you while I'm attending to my job." He said, more or less saying that he would be a part of this project, but like some sort of a silent partner. Rowan could work with that.

"Alright. Now, I have a feeling we're about to discuss Heaven. So, what about the souls already there?" she asked and he nodded his head, as if he was finally talking to someone equal to his intelligence. The guy was an asshole, but he was right. She just didn't want to tell him that.

"The angels were never meant to oversee the souls. Heaven was meant for God and his angels. The souls used to have their own personal space in Heaven, but now they're stuffed into little boxes of their former homes. The angels have no clue what they're doing. I would like to see those souls relocated to your Helheim once the construction is complete, but I fear the angels won't be cooperative." Death replied and Rowan let a wicked grin spread across her face as a dark idea formed in her mind.

"Not if we can promise a way into opening Heaven." She replied and he glanced at her with a dark sense of curiosity in his eyes.

"It is apparent that you've been around Crowley." he replied, which made her smile with pride. Even Crowley would have been proud of that. "However, striking a deal they cannot resist would be the right answer. Kevin is busy trying to find answers as is Castiel. They aren't aware that Metatron has the Angel tablet and that is what keeps Heaven closed. The souls are currently trapped in the Veil." Death said and Rowan smiled, a light bulb appearing over her head, so to speak, despite not knowing the people attached to all the names Death just dropped on her.

"That's why you're discussing this with me." Rowan said, staring at Death's blank expression that was obviously hiding his true emotion. "The souls have nowhere to go and reopening Helheim would solve that. Combined with the deal to solve Heaven's problem, we get the rest of those souls." She said and let out a little laugh. "So, how do we deal with Metatron?" she asked and, still with his blank and difficult to read expression, he answered her.

" _We_ don't. _You_ do." which surprised Rowan, but then it gave her all the control. Even better.

"You know, I rather enjoy this meeting." She replied and glanced over at him with a smile. As annoying as Death had been, this was a brilliant conversation.

At that moment, Rowan could hear someone trying to summon out of her astral projection. It was Sam. She could hear the worry in his voice as she wouldn't wake up.

"I have to go before Sam Winchester has a heart attack." Rowan said, standing out of her chair. "I'll see to Gadreel and begin working on Helheim, not to forget to mention Metatron. It's been a pleasure, of which I mean the end of our meeting." She added with a little grin, about to leave.

"Oh," Death said, getting her attention before she returned to her room in the bunker. "Well done on preventing what could have been very catastrophic." Death added before their little meeting was concluded, Rowan arched an eyebrow at him, not quite following. He seemed to think she had returned to the unreasonably stupid Goddess within the first minutes of their meeting. He clarified with a hint of agitation. "That Mark of Cain is a terrible burden. It's a key. Long ago, God's sister, the Darkness, Amara, had been locked away or she would have destroyed everything in creation. The Mark was the key, given to Lucifer." He said, which made Rowan's face go blank as she listened to this huge bit of news. "The Winchesters like weapons they can't handle, but if they had figured the way to remove the Mark, it would have opened her prison and set her free." Death concluded.

"I had no idea." She whispered. Rowan blinked, focusing her attention back on Death rather than hearing Sam trying to wake her. "Thank you for telling me this." She said and he looked at her with curiosity, as if he didn't know why she was thanking him, but she was sincere.

This was huge and she was so relieved she got involved or else the Winchesters would have been faced with a monster they couldn't have handled. No one would have.

But that didn't happen.

Now, Rowan had a lot of work to do and not a second to waste.


	28. Chapter 28

**Bringing Together**

Rowan opened her eyes, looking up into the eyes of a very worried, but now relieved, Sam. He sat down on the edge of her bed, exhaling the anxiety out of his body. He glanced over at her and gave her a slight smile. He was a little embarrassed to have barged into her room and wake her out of a very deep sleep.

Only he didn't know that she wasn't sleeping or dreaming. She was meeting Death.

"I thought you wouldn't be waking up." He said as she sat up in her bed, smoothing out her black dress and combing her hands through her hair. She had to tell the Winchesters what needed to happen, but it was so much for them to take in, especially when she'd be asking them for a favor. Rowan was going to do this slowly.

"I was alright, Sam. I was astral projecting." She said and he glanced at her, stunned, but then quickly nodded with a bit of astonishment that she could do that.

"Sorry I interrupted." He said with a slight nervous smile. She grinned and tapped his forearm.

"You called me just as I finished my talk with an old friend." Rowan said with softness in her eyes. She wasn't sure how else to refer to Death, except for _asshole_ or _old bugger_. Sam frowned with a mixture of confusion and worry and she decided not to put too much of a pause on that one. "I was talking to Death, the Horseman." She said and Sam's eyes widened with a bit of fear.

Rowan couldn't help but smile as Sam said so much when he didn't speak a word. His expressions were adorable.

"We're working on a project, rebuilding and reshaping Helheim." She said with a bit of details. "There's going to be a lot going on. I don't think you and Dean have to worry, but I'd like you to know anyway." She added and he gave her a slight nod.

"Dean and Fenrir are still in the kitchen. Last I saw, they were arm wrestling." Sam said and Rowan arched an eyebrow.

"Yeah, how did those two become best buds, exactly?" she asked, getting him to smile, chasing away any worry on his face.

"It all started with a stare-down." Sam replied and Rowan nodded, remembering that. "Then they compared the toughest things they ever did. And then the drinking." Sam added and Rowan let out a small laugh as she shook her head; go figure that she had a brother like Dean Winchester.

"Alright, well let's get down to business." She said as Sam got off her bed, holding out a hand to her as she gracefully slipped off her bed. Was she seriously getting some royal treatment all because of the dress? If so, then she was definitely never wearing anything else ever again.

They walked into the kitchen where Dean and Fenrir were indeed matching each other's strength. Obviously her brother was stronger, but he admired Dean, clapping his shoulder with a grin of approval. She fought against rolling her eyes and sighing, thinking that her brother was primitive in a way that she probably never would understand. Instead of being cynical, Rowan decided to see it in a positive way; her brother made a friend.

Probably the only one he ever had.

"So, sit down, shut up and listen." Rowan said, sitting down in the chair she had last. Her brother and Dean looked up sharply at her, as if offended she just walked in and controlled the moment. She couldn't help but smile. "I just spoke with Death and we had quite the chat." She said and when Dean's eyes widened, he glanced at Sam would gave him a slight nod, lowering his hand as if to say it wasn't a problem, so relax. "We're planning on rebuilding and reshaping Helheim and it only gets complicated after that." She said and all three glanced at her with a bit of worry.

"Why am I hearing this?" Fenrir asked, catching his sister off guard. "These two, I can understand." He added, thumbing to Sam and Dean, never breaking eye contact with Rowan.

"You're my brother, you should know." She replied and he sighed with boredom. She narrowed her eyes on him, but glanced at Sam and Dean, continuing before her brother so rudely interrupted her. "Now, Heaven as we all know is closed. What concerns Death and I is that all souls cannot enter Heaven. We want to start construction in Hell, expanding to make Hades' version of the Underworld which we'll call Helheim, naturally." Rowan said, seeing already that the men had a hard time following her. She understood, but she couldn't explain it any better than that. "We'll take in the souls once we're done and then find a way to open Heaven so we can strike a deal to have the souls already in Heaven be relocated to Helheim." She said and Dean raised his hand up, as if to politely cut her off so he could ask a question.

"Explain again this construction." He said and Rowan exhaled calmly, not showing that she was a little agitated that she had to explain. It was her project and none of their business, why did she have to give all the details? Did she need their approval? However, she understood their worry that this might be something they have to fear.

"We'll keep Hell, which will be Crowley's domain. I'll add-on, creating a much better place for good souls. Instead of people dying and going up to Heaven, they'll stay in Helheim. Before Lucifer fell, Heaven was only meant for God and the angels. All the dead came to my Underworld. Death agrees it should be that way again." Rowan said, seeing them listening attentively. "My domain will be what makes the souls happy. Right now, in Heaven, each soul is stuffed into a little box. In Helheim, they'll be with their families, being able to do everything that makes them happy." She concluded, seeing that the idea added a bit of hope and joy in Sam and Dean's eyes.

Now that they were content, she was free to continue before Dean popped up with a demand for a better explanation.

"Now, what keeps Heaven closed is Metatron and the Angel tablet. Death and I will find a way and, once the angels agree to relocate the souls to my Underworld, we'll open Heaven." Rowan said and the Winchesters seemed to dislike that whole switching and dealing part of the plan. However they disliked it, they seem to understand that they had no vote; two non-deities of death spoke and already agreed.

This next part, on the other hand, they probably will try to have a vote on the matter.

"And to top it all off, I'm having an angel help me design Helheim." Rowan began, which seemed to put a mixture of relief and distrust in the eyes of the Winchester brothers. "His name is Gadreel and I need to ask you two a favor." She concluded and the distrust increased in both.

"Gadreel?" Sam asked. "As in the angel that let Lucifer into Eden?" he added and before she could reply, Dean jumped in.

"And just what is the favor, exactly? I don't know if you've noticed, but the angels are kinda dicks with wings." He said and she frowned at the mental picture that gave her. She glanced back at Sam and nodded.

"Yes, _that_ Gadreel. He needs somewhere safe to be until I can start the construction." Rowan said, answering both questions at once, which made the Winchesters exchange uneasy glances. "Please. If Death said he's deserving of a second chance and in need of sanctuary, I'm guessing you two can relate to that. Shit, even _I_ can relate to that." Rowan said and both brothers looked at her, finding that she was right, but this made them uncomfortable.

"We'll make our decision after we meet him." Dean said and Rowan smiled softly at him. It was cute how Dean thought he actually had a choice in the matter. But she appreciated that he was willing to give Gadreel a chance because it meant a lot to her.

"I'll find him and I'll be right back." Rowan said and zoned out, trying to locate this angel. Since her father was an Archangel, she was certain she wouldn't have a difficulty finding Gadreel. Once she began concentrating, she felt a sharp pain in her head as she could suddenly hear all the voices of the angels trying to communicate with each other.

Not only that, but she could hear what sounded like a loud speaker above all other voices, saying that if they do as he says, they can join him in Heaven.

Metatron.

How funny that he became her problem. In order to rebuild Helheim, she had to open Heaven, just for all those souls. Talk about everything in between Heaven and Hell. That sounded funnier in her head…

Rowan focused and eventually found a well guarded place, warded against angels, making them powerless. That looked like a safe place to be if you felt all of Heaven's angels are looking to lock you back up.

Just like the Men of Letters' bunker, she could slip through the wards, as it had nothing to do with her. It was a small shack with the bare essentials; some furnishing and some reading material. Immediately after she slipped through the wards, a fairly good looking man stood up from his chair, dropping his book on the table before him. He seemed to know she was there before she made her presence known. As Rowan looked at him, she could see a white light glowing from within and as he put himself on guard, the white light spread out, revealing the wings on his back. They were beautiful, minus the damage on his feathers. It looked like he hit an electrical line and got fried.

Unlike Crowley, she could see this angel's true form, which was the white light. He was beautiful and, oddly enough, he resembled his vessel. No matter, both were equally pretty. Very pretty.

She made her presence known, her aura of power glowing as her astral projection became visible. She scared the angel by appearing like a zombie Queen, but she raised her hands to say that she was unarmed, that she had no intentions of harming him.

"You must be Gadreel." She spoke softly, giving a warm smile as his eyes widened in alarm. "I'm here as a friend and I'm here to ask for your help." She said, which got him to frown with confusion.

"What are you?" he asked her, his voice raspy, making her smile grow with warmth.

"I'm the Goddess formerly known as Hel." She said and he continued to stare at her with confusion. "I'm the daughter of Loki, otherwise known as Gabriel, the Archangel." She said, which got his attention. His eyes softened and he stared at her with disbelief. "You can call me Rowan." She concluded and he seemed to relax.

"Alright, Rowan." He began, sitting back in his chair. She glided over to him, sitting in the chair next to him. He seemed a little unsettled, so she tried not to look so gory which was difficult because that was her alternative image when in astral projection. She didn't have much choice on that. "How can I help you?" he asked, trying to look her straight in her glowing eyes rather than her bones poking through her flesh.

Rowan explained everything to him that she had told the Winchesters. Unlike those two, he didn't require an explanation with details. He seemed to understand everything, his expression a little difficult to read. He obviously seemed unsettled about finding a way to get to Metatron, only opening Heaven for the souls within to get them moved over to Helheim. However, he seemed to comply and agree with what Death had said.

And it was no wonder.

"The angels follow orders. Without God, the responsibility falls on someone else. There are no more Archangels, thus it falls to the next level of power. They give out the orders and they had lost vision of what an angel is meant to do." Gadreel said as Rowan listened, seeing the pain in his eyes and hearing it in his voice. She didn't have to ask how much he had suffered; it was evident and her heart felt heavy, wanting to heal those wounds. Only those wounds couldn't be healed. "Angels are supposed to help humans. Even now, they think only of themselves." He concluded and she placed her boney hand on his out of empathy. He glanced down at her hand and back up into her eyes.

"There are two friends of mine who have agreed to take you in. Their place is very safe. I had stayed there before I began remembering who I am." Rowan said and that seemed to give him a bit of hope and comfort. "As soon as I can begin rebuilding Helheim, I'll need your help in designing the very thing the humans are going to want to call home." She said and he nodded, giving her a small smile.

She wanted to add that it could be his home too, but she didn't want to rush it or make him uncomfortable.

"Alright." She said and returned to herself back in the bunker's kitchen. The Winchesters stood up, as in the blink of an eye, Gadreel was standing behind Rowan who had lost that distant stare in her eyes. "Welcome to the Men of Letters' bunker. These are the Winchesters and that grumpy one across from me is my brother, Fenrir." Rowan added as she stood up, turning to Gadreel with a smile. He stared at her, as if he'd much rather look at her like this than in her astral form. He then looked at Sam and Dean and gave them a nod of appreciation.

Rowan turned to Sam with a warm smile.

"He can have my room. I'll be away for a while." She said and then glanced at Dean too. "Thank you." She added and then vanished altogether before they could protest that they haven't yet made their decision about Gadreel staying.

They didn't have a choice. Had she forgotten to mention that?


	29. Chapter 29

**The Underworld**

Rowan glanced around and it wasn't what she expected to see. Hell looked like a really depressing corporate building. Was this where crooked business men went as punishment for cheating families out of money? As she began walking down the corridor with only paintings of really depressing images, she turned the corner and found a long line-up of people. The ling stretch on for what seemed like a mile or so.

She glanced at the souls and, if it was possible, she'd say they looked dead, as in dull and lifeless. They stared directly ahead, at the back of the person ahead of them. The moved only when the line moved forward, other than that they remained still. They didn't even seem to notice her standing there.

Then, as Rowan stared at them, she could sense why they were in the line-up as if she personally knew them. The one at the back of the line was a rapist, the one ahead of him was a child molester, the next was a murderer, the next was a sadist and so on and so forth. They were deserving of torture, but Rowan didn't understand the line-up.

"Milady." Said that familiar girl's voice. Rowan turned and smiled at Bjarni who seemed slightly stunned. "What a surprise to find you here. But here of all places?" she asked and Rowan arched an eyebrow at her.

"Exactly where am I?" she asked and Bjarni seemed stunned.

"Hell, Milady." She replied, which made Rowan laugh a little.

"I know, Bjarni. I mean where in Hell am I?" she asked and her Draugar glanced at the line of souls.

"Where souls get tortured, Milady." She replied and Rowan glanced at the souls with a surprised expression on her face.

"This is torture?" she asked and Bjarni stepped up beside her with a slight grin on her face.

"One of Crowley's renovations." She replied, glancing at the souls. "They wait in the line to reach the front of it." she added and Rowan tried to see it, but it was too far ahead.

"Then what?" she asked and Bjarni smiled wickedly.

"They go to the back of the line only to repeat." She said and Rowan nodded her head, understanding it.

"A never ending waiting line." She mumbled and glanced at Bjarni. "That's the perfect torture." She added with a slight grin. Her Draugar gestured for her to follow and they walked away from the line-up of souls waiting for absolutely nothing.

"So, there isn't much to report, except for the fact that Crowley has his hands full." Bjarni said and Rowan smiled, just thinking of him. Yes, she was excited to see him because she was anxious to start the Helheim project.

"Where is he?" Rowan asked, still with her smile.

"On his throne." Bjarni replied, which got a frown from Rowan. Bjarni was quickly to explain so her Lady of Death didn't get the wrong idea. "All those loyal to Abaddon refuse to swear loyalty to him. He's currently having difficulties with his council of demons. They know he didn't simply go off the grid; that something had happened to him and they find he's weak, unfit to rule. No matter what he does, they don't seem to be afraid." She said and Rowan nodded. She didn't really think he'd have such a hard time. She was envisioning some demons trying to hide or raise a rebellion, but many refusing to swear loyalty? She didn't think of it. That could become highly threatening, not just to Crowley, but to her project with Death. "I think he'll be quite pleased to see you." Bjarni concluded, glancing at her with a slight smile.

"I'm sure he will." Rowan replied and then had a little update of her own to deliver. "Now, I have some pretty big news. This is going to be the third time I repeat myself, so if I'm not clear, I'm getting lazy and dropping some details." She added which made Bjarni let out a small laugh, but also look highly interested and hopeful which was interesting. "I spoke with Death and we will be reshaping Helheim." She said and already Bjarni's eyes glistened. "Hell will still belong to Crowley, but there'll be some entrance where all souls go and then get sorted out; souls to Hell and souls to Helheim. We're also going to get the souls from Heaven and those trapped in the Veil thanks to Castiel who helped Metatron close Heaven." Rowan said so quickly, picturing it in her mind that she didn't even check if Bjarni was following her.

"Sounds amazing." Bjarni said, which Rowan hadn't seemed to have heard.

"And, of course, to get the souls in Heaven, we need something the angels want, like opening Heaven. I have to find a way to get to Metatron and that Angel tablet. And I also got Gadreel to help me." Rowan said and Bjarni seemed excited. "And I have to check in with Crowley because, as my partner, he's going to want to hear this." Rowan concluded, not sure she got out all the details. It didn't matter; telling Crowley all the details was what mattered.

"It'll cheer him up and the demons will be sure to shape up. I hate to say it, but they'll fear you and that'll be the only reason why they won't try to overrule Crowley." Bjarni said and Rowan glanced at her, thinking that over.

"He'll be alright. He's clever and I think torture is a thing of the not-so-long past. You know, out with the old and in with the older, back when it actually worked out better." Rowan said, getting Bjarni to laugh. She hadn't heard that from her Draugar in… well, never. Her Draugar being demons actually made them a little more fun.

They walked out of the depressing corporate hallways and into a more gothic looking set of corridors. The walls were stone with torches to light the way because it was a little obscure. This looked a little like Helheim, but with a sinister sense as you walked through. It seemed fitting.

They turned the corner into another corridor which eventually came to cross into another corridor. It was like a labyrinth, so unlike Helheim. They eventually came to a large set of doors where Bjarni stopped, turning to Rowan with a little uneasy smile.

"Please Milady, wait here while I announce to Crowley that you're here." She said and Rowan smiled. Did Bjarni think she'd be upset to be told to wait? It was Crowley's domain and, if he was on board with the project, it would remain his domain and she would be respectful as he would in her domain. This partnership might be a great thing.

Bjarni opened the doors and stepped inside, closing them behind her. Rowan looked around, suddenly feeling a lot of demon energy around her. It was like she was tapping into Hell. If she was aware of the demons, she was certain they were aware of her; after all, she was a Goddess and she radiated power. It would be like illuminating a spotlight among a crowd of little flashlights.

The doors opened and Bjarni closed them slightly behind her as she smiled at Rowan.

"He'll see you. He's currently talking to his council, but I think he could really use your company." She said, her smile growing.

"I'm sure he would." Rowan said and walked in as Bjarni opened the doors for her, closing them behind her. Immediately, all eyes fell on her with curiosity and a bit of uncertainty. All except Crowley who smiled at her, having none of his demons seeing the look on his face, as if he didn't feel comfortable enough to let them see how happy he was to see her. How his demons must be giving him a hard time.

The room was like the corridor, but musky like it had been some sort of workshop before it had become a throne room. The pillars in the room was a nice touch, separating the workshop look from Crowley's space which was, on the other hand, magnificent; behind his throne were iron floor candle holders which seemed very gothic. He suddenly seemed a little more intimidating, if she wasn't a Goddess.

Rowan walked through the group of demons as they parted for her, staring at her with a hint of fear as they must have realized who she was. After all, her aura of power was glowing, especially in her eyes.

"Thank you for seeing me on such short notice." Rowan said, giving Crowley a slight curtsy to show him some respect. Naturally, she wouldn't, but she sensed he needed a little help whether he wanted it or not with his demon ego. As she looked up at him, his eyes glimmered darkly as if he liked her little performance. He gestured next to him and she stepped up, standing next to him in his throne, which actually looked nice. So did the chair.

"You destroyed Abaddon." One of the demons said. She looked at them all with a darkness in her smile.

"Am I hearing a bit of doubt?" Rowan asked him, seeing them on edge. "Would you like a demonstration?" she asked and the fear increased as they shook their heads or glanced down at their feet. "Trust me, Crowley's a much better ruler than Abaddon would have been." She said and they looked at her as if they wanted to argue, but they didn't dare as she gave them a piercing glare.

"You're a Goddess. Why would you show him some respect?" another asked and Rowan arched an eyebrow.

" _Him_? He's your King." Rowan snapped, making the demons tremble slightly. Crowley lightly touched her arm and the demons noticed. Rowan calmed and adjusted her tone of voice. "I show respect because he's the right ruler for Hell." She said, letting the hint of anger showing in her eyes. There was a brief moment of silence and Crowley's deep voice penetrated through that heaviness in the room.

"You're dismissed. I have a business meeting." He said and they watched as his demons left the room. Once the door closed, Crowley stood up, looking at Rowan with a little smile. "Quite the performance." He said, narrowing his eyes slightly as if his demonic ego wasn't thrilled even if a part of him deep down was.

"There was a truth to my performance." She replied. "And you'll be glad to know that I don't have any intentions of coming in and making changes to Hell." She added which got his attention as his jaw seemed to clench a little, his eyes narrowing as he placed his hands in his pockets. "I spoke to Death and he's really insisting that we make Hell part of a much larger place. The Underworld." She said his expression remained the same, but curiosity sparked in his dark eyes as he listened to this. At this point, Rowan suddenly wondered if he was going to like this idea. "There'd be two parts of the Underworld, Hell which is yours, and Helheim which will be mine. Together, we sort the dead into their designated destinations. How does that sound?" she asked and she was beginning to feel that Crowley didn't like the fact that they both have their own place to rule. He should be pleased, but maybe her doubt was making her see things.

"And Heaven?" Crowley asked.

"Yeah, Death and I also discussed that. Since Heaven is closed, leaving the souls trapped in the Veil, and managing the souls they had very poorly, we were going to make a deal with the angels." Rowan replied, getting a slight arched eyebrow from Crowley. "Helheim gets all the souls from Heaven. Then, I deal with Metatron and the Angel tablet, opening Heaven. No more taking in souls; the Underworld will be the only place for human souls. Hell for those to be punished, who made deals, and Helheim for those deserving of a good place." she concluded and he gave her a slight nod, but she could see that what had him really interested was the Angel tablet. "What do you think?" she asked and he must have seen the worry on her face because he smiled, reaching a hand around her waist as he approached her.

"Sounds perfect." He replied and Rowan exhaled with relief. "I can't imagine where you got the idea to swindle Heaven from its souls." He added and Rowan grinned.

"Yeah, Death said it was obvious that I've been hanging around you." She said and he grinned with pride. Before she could say anything else, he pulled her in, kissing her with a kiss that seemed to highlight how proud he was, which was interesting. However, she was happy to know that he was on board with the project. He broke their kiss, his eyes dark with seduction as he stared at her, making her blush a little, which was weird. "I don't suppose you have a blueprint of Hell." She said and he snapped his fingers, having one suddenly appear in his hand. "Oh, convenient." She concluded and before she could take it, he held it out of reach, his eyes piercing as he stared at her. Were her knees feeling a little weak, about to give out?

"We do have some little details to go over." he said and she gave him a small smile.

"Such as?" Rowan asked, pressing her body against his.

"When to draw the line of souls deserving of punishment, the portal to the entrance where the sorting will be done and who's to be in charge, where to place this entrance and Helheim around Hell, and where we'll put our little private space for business and pleasure." Crowley replied which made her smile, especially that last part. That sounded good. His arm tightened around her and she wrapped her arms around his neck, their lips now so close she could virtually taste him.

"Sounds perfect." She replied and he pressed his lips hard against hers as he gave her the blueprints of Hell.


	30. Chapter 30

**Kiss with a Fist**

Crowley and Rowan walked over to the table off to the side, nearly hidden out of sight beyond the pillars. The blueprints showed Hell and all its complexity. It was much bigger than she had imagined, sort of like Dante's Inferno, but not as poetic, if that word could even be used to describe it. There were different torture stations. To name a few, the never-ending line-up, the long and dark corridors full of cells for solitary punishment and the good old fashion torture rack that split off into two sections; humans who got stripped into pieces and those that were tortured into becoming demons. How Crowley decided to place them, especially those that sold their soul, was beyond her and she wasn't about to ask; Hell was his domain.

However, she might later ask for his advice in case good souls may include those that stole or cheated others of their money or their lives; not bad enough to go to Hell but not good enough to enjoy all the glories of Helheim.

The one special location in Hell was so deep that it made Rowan wonder just how deep. It was Lucifer's cage and that sent a shiver down her spine. She wasn't going to focus on that detail, but she found it ironic how Lucifer's cage was at the bottom of Hell and not somewhere in Heaven. It's like Heaven wanted to forget all about him by burying him so far deep.

Crowley conjured up more paper so they could draw out where they would begin construction around Hell. He was mostly the one who drew things out, since Rowan didn't have a head for that sort of thing. She couldn't even remember how Helheim had begun. She was pretty sure it was there long before Odin exiled her there for being hideous. And apparently she couldn't even pay attention to what Crowley was doing.

"Hel." Crowley said, trying to get her concentration off the blueprints of his Hell and back on those of Helheim.

"I know what I'm looking at." She mumbled, thinking he meant _Hell_ and he exhaled with an air of agitation.

" _Rowan_." He said, correcting himself. She finally looked at him, drawing her eyes away from the section about Lucifer's cage. Although she didn't want to think about it, she couldn't stop herself from wondering about him.

"Oh, sorry." She said with a slight smile, snapping out of her thoughts. "Just call me Rowan. The only one who gets to call me Hel is my brother, or else it gets confusing." She said and looked down at what he had done so far.

"Confusing for you or for everyone else?" he asked and she lifted her eyes up to him in a warning glare. His grin told her that he didn't care about her warning; he thought that was too good to keep to himself.

"You're not so nice when you're not chained to a chair, sitting in a Devil's Trap." Rowan said, getting a darkly mischievous grin from the King of Hell.

"And you're not so flirtatious." He added, making her frown, clearly not pleased with his teasing.

"We clearly used each other." Rowan said, thinking back to how they were towards each other in the bunker. Crowley tilted his head, as if thinking it over for a second.

"I'd say we were beneficial to each other." He corrected and gave her a slight smile. " _Used_ is a word I prefer to keep for insignificants, like a certain pair of brothers." He added and Rowan shook her head, looking down at the blueprints. He was right; they were beneficial to each other because Abaddon was dead and she was his partner, both planning the construction of Helheim.

It was going to be large, like Hell, but broken down into smaller sections and levels. The human mind wouldn't have been able to comprehend the complexity of it, but it gave her insight as to how she'd construct it. The souls would be able to see what they wanted to see and, although the space was limited, it wouldn't seem like it to them. They wouldn't be stuffed into little boxes, separated from their loved ones. Helheim was going to let them relive or continue what made them happy.

Hell and Helheim, it's the Underworld and the word _impossible_ doesn't exist.

"The thing about the afterlife, places like Heaven, Purgatory and our Underworld," Crowley said, putting a smile on Rowan's face. "There's no limit, no such thing as getting crowded." He added and she smiled, remembering that from her time in Helheim before her father took her out of there, taking away all her memories.

So, she didn't have to worry about Helheim not being big enough. Of course she knew that, but it was like starting all over again; learning everything again. However, this time there would be multiple levels of Helheim so it would allow Rowan to sort out the souls as she seemed fit. That was the only difference between now and then.

Crowley drew the entrance; the very mouth of it was a portal for Death and his reapers, with no gate on earth. There was a large enough space and then it moved on into two channels, one towards Hell and the other towards Helheim. The entire entrance to the Underworld was Rowan's to design as she wanted. She could design them to be rivers where boats would bring the souls to their destination. The channels could be roads where buses picked them up and then dropped them off. They could even be slides! Not that she'd make the channels into slides.

Or maybe they should be slides, that way no one has to make sure the souls don't try to escape. If they try to climb up the slides, they'd simply get pushed down by those going down.

Perhaps the channels could be trains transporting the souls to their final destination. Whatever she was going to decide, she wanted it to be modern and efficient.

"Rowan." Crowley said and she glanced at him. Despite his little grin, he seemed a little annoyed that she was daydreaming. "We could have our place here, in between." He said with his finger down in the space between Hell and Helheim. "Whatever you want, Chickadee." He said and she smiled at him, standing closer to him, her smiling growing as he wrapped an arm around her waist, his breath on her neck as she glanced down at that empty space.

Those words, his pet name for her, swept her off her feet along with his arms, his lips on her skin where they belong.

"I'd be happy with a Victorian styled house, with a pathway to the door, lamp posts to illuminate the front yard at nightfall, gardens and ponds with beautiful statues on each side. The backyard: a concrete patio with stone benches and gardens, reaching to a backdrop of mountains and a vast forest." Rowan said, imagining it in her mind, smiling as she lost herself in the beauty of her own home. However, she had to think of what that meant; not only would Crowley and she be partners in business, but lovers in that house.

That's if Crowley wanted that. But why else would be ask her what she wanted. Suddenly, she felt so confused. Did she love Crowley? She never loved anyone in her life, how could she know if she loved him?

"Then that's what I'll build." Crowley said and she glanced at him as if searching for the answer in his expression. How did he feel about her? Did he love her? Could he love?

Then, she remembered that he was nearly human for a moment. Maybe that influenced him. If it hadn't been for Sam trying to cure him, would Crowley be asking her what she wanted for the both of them? Would he be promising to build her the house of her dreams?

"What does this mean, Crowley?" she asked him, her confusion clearly in her voice and her eyes. He looked at her and, for a brief moment, she could have sworn that he was asking himself that very same question. "We made a deal to keep each other's information a secret from the Winchesters. We made a deal to be partners of the Underworld. And this house, what does it mean?" she said, her heart beating so fast that she was certain he could hear it. What if she made things worse by asking? What if he didn't even know?

"It means you and I are King and Queen of the Underworld; partners in business _and_ lovers." Crowley added and before Rowan could ask if he was serious, he kissed her soft lips, chasing any fear or doubt that lingered in her mind. As she parted her lips, allowing his tongue into her mouth for that deep passionate kiss, she shifted towards him. He placed both hands on her hips, down to the back of her thighs where he lifted her onto the table, pushing through her knees.

Crowley clearly wanted to continue where they had left off before her brother rudely interrupted their heated moment in that dungeon. This time, no one was going to interrupt.

Rowan busied her hands by unbuckling his belt, snapping the button on his waistband, ripping the zipper apart. Meanwhile, Crowley ripped the slit of her dress and ripped her underwear, thrusting himself inside her before she could greedily control the situation. Rowan gasped with delight, but was cut short when Crowley bore down on her with a kiss that sent her body into pure ecstasy. He held onto her hips, keeping her body pressed against his, penetrating her with such fierce passion that her body both protested and surrendered. It was pure bliss.

Lovers it was.

Rowan tore his suit jacket open, gripping the front of his shirt in her fists as she curled her legs around him. She could feel one of his hands on her thigh, raising it over by his waist, getting another sensual grip that made her body shiver with pleasure. She could really hold onto his tie like a leash, but her mind couldn't get her hands to move; she was too entranced by his delicious touches.

While that hand gripping her thigh, holding her in place, the other unexpectedly aggressively pushed her hair away from her neck, ripping the lace off her shoulder, the sweetheart neckline left open. His lips broke away from hers, hungrily grazing her skin, his tongue lashing against her shoulder, as she wrapped her arms around his neck, keeping him close so he could hear her whispering moans of satisfaction in his ear.

Crowley gave hard and fast thrusts, never losing momentum, sending painful but exquisite jolts through her pelvis. His hand traveled up and down her leg, making it feel like fire licked at her skin. She couldn't tell the difference between pain and bliss; it all felt the same, glorious and delicious.

Rowan couldn't move with him in rhythm if she wanted, but that's what he wanted; for her to surrender completely to him, to be left to experience what he could do to her body. And he could do wonders. She wasn't complaining, as her moans gave evidence, and she was sure he could hear a smile in her voice. A pleasurable growl erupted from this throat, vibrating down her neck, like the beast within wanted to tear her open.

Her hands gripped his shoulder blades, her nails digging in through the material of his clothing, digging and piercing into something warm as her moans had turned into deep groans. Crowley grazed his teeth along her neck, letting out a possessive growl. He gripped her hair, pulling her head back as his hot tongue flicked up her throat, over her chin. She closed her eyes, shutting out the pain, falling into bliss. He released his grip, Rowan opened her eyes and when she looked into his eyes, they were a brewing crimson fire of a licentious demon.

It looked like Crowley just wanted her to submit to his seduction, not show him how she could be rough in sex too.

Crowley picked her off the table, slamming her into the wall next to them. He pinned her wrists above her head with one hand as the other gripped her hip, his pelvis pressed hard against hers, becoming one deep within her. His tongue felt like lava on her neck, burning up to her lips that melt like snow against his kiss. A deep gruntled roar escaped from his throat as his mouth left hers; giving her the chance to take in a breath before his lustful fire consumed her.

It was like a punishment for digging her nails in his shoulder blades. Only, she was enjoying it. But then, she was able to have a clear thought despite her blissful daze.

Crowley was going to take her, please her, and leave her wondering what came over her, just like he had promised. She had never been any happier.


	31. Chapter 31

**A Little Vision**

Rowan collapsed in his arms, physically exhausted from Crowley blowing her mind and rocking her body. Quite literally. She was in a daze as he laid her on the table, on the blueprints of Hell and Helheim. He hovered over her, looking down at her with a satisfied grin, stroking her cheek as his other hand stroked her leg lightly, sending a blissful tingle throughout her body.

"You ravenous Devil." She said with a dazed smile, too weak to move.

"Does that answer your question?" he asked her and she let out a weak giggle, as if she was high on drugs.

"What question was that again?" she asked and his grin widened as he stared down at her.

"Take a moment, Darling, before you begin constructing Helheim." Crowley said, about to turn away from her, fixing his clothing.

"Hey." She snapped, narrowing her eyes on him. He glanced over his shoulder at her and she raised her hand, curling her finger, telling him to come back. Crowley grinned and towered over her again, a dark glimmer in his eyes. Rowan grabbed his tie and pulled him down in a kiss, keeping him there as she tenderly moved her lips against him. She could still feel that heat.

When she released her grip on his tie, she sucked his bottom lip before he stood back enough to look into her dark eyes.

"You tore my dress." She said and his lips twitched into a grin.

"Too much dress, not enough skin." He replied and she let out a little dark laugh.

"And you? Next time, no clothes at all, skin to skin. Understood?" She replied and his lips spread into a devious smile as his hand grazed her collar bone, doing down to trace the outline of her sweetheart neckline.

"You can bet on it, Chickadee." he replied and helped her as she tried sitting up, still feeling slightly dazed. She couldn't quite sit up well, so he brought her to rest against him, her head nestled in his neck, as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Good." She whispered, taking a moment to gather what remained of her dignity. Rowan pulled away from him and fixed her hair, the fabric of her dress repairing itself as her eyes glowed. Crowley watched her fix herself up and moved aside so she could swing her legs off the table. She slid off, not as graceful as she had intended and grabbed the blueprints of Helheim, about to leave his throne room.

Crowley gently gripped his hand onto her forearm, making her stop beside him, meeting his dark eyes. His free hand tucked a stray strand of hair that she missed, and gave her a seductive smile.

"Beautiful, as always." He said and released his grip on her. Rowan remained, her soft lips tenderly broadening into a smile.

"Until next time, Stud Muffin." She replied and walked away before he could protest against her pet name for him. She wasn't sure it fit him, but it sounded good at the moment.

Rowan opened the doors and closed them behind her as she glanced at her Draugar who waited in the corridor at a respectable distance from the throne doors. They kept their eyes low, but she could detect little smirks they were trying to hide.

"Would any of you like to comment?" she asked and they looked up at her, expressions blank. "We have work to do." Rowan added and turned towards Bjarni who gestured to follow her. Agmundr and Raganhar followed, occasionally having Rowan glance over her shoulder at them. "Have you updated these two on Helheim?" she asked Bjarni, who nodded in response, giving a slight smile.

Rowan knew they were way too silent for a reason and it was beginning to annoy her.

"Spit it out." she said and the air around them felt heavy. She was intentionally thickening the air, making them squirm under the tension.

"We're happy for you, Milady." Bjarni said, walking next to Rowan, giving a little smile. "You and Crowley go well together." She added, her smile broadening.

"Even if we didn't like him." Raganhar said and Rowan had a little smile on her lips.

"We thought it highly disrespectful to interrupt, even if an hour has passed." Agmundr said and Rowan stopped, looking back at him with a dark smile on her lips.

"You kept track of the time?" she asked, her eyes dark as if daring him to answer.

"It was roughly an hour." Raganhar specified, ignoring the warning Bjarni was trying to tell him with her widened eyes. "An hour and a few minutes." He concluded and Bjarni looked away, shaking her head. Rowan narrowed her eyes in a playful glare and continued walking down the corridor, trying to leave Hell, but it was seriously like a labyrinth.

The Draugar remained silent as they followed Rowan to the entrance to Hell, which just seemed like a dead-end.

"Oh, we didn't talk about this part." Rowan said, realizing that she really did hit a dead-end. How was she going to make the so-called entrance of the Underworld when she couldn't even make the channel between the entrance and Hell? She stared at the wall, knowing that her Draugar were silent because they couldn't help her and figured she didn't need their help; she was Hel, this was her thing.

Only she was pretty sure she never built the first Helheim.

Rowan placed her hand on the wall, thinking back to when Crowley said Heaven, Purgatory and Hell are limitless. But that still didn't help.

"How did you change your nails?" Bjarni asked and Rowan glanced at her, a little confused by the question. What the Hell did her nails have to do with this? As her Draugar blinked her eyes black, Rowan understood and looked back at the wall, thinking of how she had turned her nails black simply by thinking about it, wanting it.

She gave Bjarni the blueprints to Helheim and placed her hands on the wall, focusing on how she wanted the channel between the entrance and Hell to resemble. Rowan thought of what she wanted. No slides, no trains and no buses; something modern and quick, with a one-way ticket kind of feel.

And an idea hit her. An elevator.

However, she wanted to keep it more or less on equal ground, perhaps an incline would be better. Instead of an elevator, the channels could be escalators going down. If someone was to try to go back to the entrance, it would be kind of fun watching them running up a belt that goes down.

Rowan started envisioning Hell's channel going up. The walls would be dark with sculptured designs of tormented souls and demons on both sides of the escalator as the souls reached the bottom. As she thought of it, she pressed her hands so hard against the stones, that a small jagged piece pierced through her palm. She gasped and pulled her hand away, leaving a spot of blood on the stone, but noticed how the wall seemed to tremble.

That was it; envision the construction while marking the walls with her blood.

"Does someone have a knife?" Rowan asked her Draugar and Raganhar stepped up, holding a long silver blade.

"Will an Angel blade do the trick?" he asked and she replied by using it to slice her hand open, her blood spilling out along with a ghostly glow, like she was peering at her own Godly soul. "Careful, Milady. You're part Angel." he added and she heard, but didn't pay much attention. It wasn't like she was going to stab herself.

Rowan placed her bloody palm on the wall, pushing and it suddenly got sucked into her channel, metal churning up, as if there was hidden metal in those stones. It began forming the foundation of an escalator, going up, reaching that dead-end wall with her blood on it, she was certain. The belt was then created and the steps, going up.

From the bottom of the escalator, it looked complete. Rowan turned to her Draugar with a smile.

"Follow me." she said and began walking up the escalator, touching the walls with her bloody hand. Sculptures of torment soul and demons began protruding from the stones, as if invisible artists were carving the very images she pictured in her mind. She had envisioned the souls destined for Hell to start descending, seeing just stoned walls, then they would notice artistic depictions on the walls of the Seven Deadly Sins; things those souls might have really enjoyed in life but must now pay the price. Then, as they go passed, the depictions would turn violent and deadly, eventually leading to demons dragging wicked souls down to Hell, showing them how they would suffer.

And those souls will know they are in Hell and there's no going back.

As Rowan walked up the escalator, her thoughts were realized and when she reached the top of the rather long escalator, the dead-end wall was waiting for her next idea: the entrance of the Underworld.

Rowan placed her hands on the wall, giving it some thought before she willed it.

What did she want; a waiting room with plenty of seating, like an airport? She wouldn't want it to look too comfortable, not that anyone likes to wait for their flight with nothing to occupy them.

Then, she decided she liked the idea. A waiting room it was.

Rowan envisioned gray tiled floors, gray cement walls and about one hundred seats all in neat rows, because it was better to have too many than too little. That would be the first step to the entrance.

She willed it and watched as the dead-end wall got sucked in, as it seemed dark cavern walls began disintegrating, creating a large room about the size of a high school gymnasium, slowly being recovered with gray cement and chairs being fabricated out of metal and dirt, taking on the form of not-so comfortable cushions. Once that was complete, the cavern floor turned to gray tiled floors.

There was the entrance to the Underworld.

Rowan walked in, her pumps clacking against the floor, echoing. Her Draugar followed her and looked in amazement. She snapped her fingers and large ceiling lights illuminated, making it look sort of dreadful.

"We could always decorate a little later. I'd like to create that portal for Death and his reapers, although I'm a little uncertain how I'm going to accomplish that." She said, turning to them, seeing that they didn't have the slightest clue. She turned towards the back of all those chairs, in the center of the wall where she'd like the portal to be. Rowan placed her hands on the cool cement, thinking of Death.

At that moment, the wall shook and she stepped back, unsure of what was going on, although she had an idea. There was a circular glow and then a shape emerged, a shape she recognized as the frame of an ancient being; Death himself.

He looked at her blankly and then glanced at the entrance of the Underworld, pursing his lips as if making an opinion on her work.

"Good." He finally said after a few silent seconds that seemed more like minutes. "It's neutral." He added and Rowan nodded. That was pretty much what she was going for. Wouldn't want to give the souls an idea where they were going until it was too late. "Took you long enough." He added and there was that little hook that made him an asshole.

"Yeah, I was thinking of designing this later. You know, some nice little motivational posters like _What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger_ and humorous things like _Why did the ghost cross the road? To get to the other side_." Rowan said with a slight smirk on her face. Although her Draugar smiled, Death didn't. "I think I really nailed it with that one. I'm nearly laughing so hard that I started _coffin_." She said, grinning at the old bugger whose face would probably crack if he smiled. "Gotta have a bit of humor in death." she added and he continued to stare blankly at her. "I mean _death_ , not you _Death_." she concluded with a little grin. "'Cause I'm sure that doesn't happen, like ever." She added just to piss him off. Although her Draugar seemed a little nervous but how much she was pushing his buttons, he seemed to expect it from her.

"Perhaps you were right." He finally said, which made her smile innocently. "We won't work well together." He added and her smile turned dark.

"Oh, lighten up a little. You look so grim. Oh, I think that pun was dead on arrival." Rowan said with a little wink which only seemed to annoy him. Maybe she should just get on with business before he has a senior's version of a temper tantrum. "I was going to make the channel to Helheim in that corner. As you can see, I've gone with escalators." She said and Death simply looked in the corners, as if he wasn't really that interested.

"Have you planned the construction?" Death asked and she arched an eyebrow at him. Bjarni stepped up with the blueprints, handing them to the old guy.

"Thank you." He replied, glancing at Rowan as if to say her servants were more intelligent.

"You know, I have a few more death puns up my sleeve." Rowan said, narrowing her eyes slightly at him, warning that maybe they really won't be working well together if he had an attitude like that.

"Well, perhaps you should impress me to _urn_ a bit of gratitude." Death replied and Rowan arched an eyebrow at him with a slight grin.

"So Death's not so stiff after all." She said, crossing her arms over her chest, her grin broadening as he gave her a slight warning glare.

"I've come to realize that a lack of humor around you might be a grave mistake." He replied, glancing at the blueprints of Helheim, according to Rowan, ignoring her grins as he joined her juvenile joking. After all, He just needed to help her for a few more minutes and then he could leave Gadreel in his place to suffer horrible puns.


	32. Chapter 32

**Death is the Beginning**

Rowan began building the channel down to Helheim, her bloody hand on the wall, pushing it back as she envisioned the escalator going down. The walls on both sides would be stone, like the one going down to Hell, only the artistic engravings etched in the stone would depict the Seven Heavenly Virtues, opposite of the Seven Deadly Sins. As the souls would pass those designs, the images would morph into possible happiness, such as being with their families, watching the sun setting, celebrating the joys of their lives. Rowan envisioned beautiful sculptures in the stones, protruding, forming large trees and mountains with children playing and laughing, forming magnificent waves crashing on the sandy shore of a beach.

Rowan wanted the souls to find their perfect place in the afterlife. In the old days, Helheim was just dull. She loved it, mostly because she didn't have a choice, but also because it was a part of her. The dead roamed the vast space, free to do what made them happy, as long as they behaved, and they joined her in the temple to celebrate, to welcome their loved ones. The new Helheim was just going to be less darkness, more sunlight and homes.

She reached the bottom of the escalator, another dead-end wall. This would be the tricky part; building Helheim and all its complexities. This was the part where Death said she couldn't do it alone. And speaking of the old bugger, Death now stood next to her, looking at the blueprints and then at her, seeing if she was ready. Rowan was, and eager to start.

"This is going to drain most of your energy." Death said and Rowan gave a nod. She expected as much. She watched as Death passed the blueprints back to Bjarni and then took out a knife, slicing his palm like Rowan had done to hers. He glanced at her and placed his bloody palm on the wall. Rowan joined him and envisioned the plan of building Helheim.

Immediately, there was a trembling and the wall got sucked in, revealing a large cavern that seemed to be disintegrating for miles and miles all around. Rowan and Death placed their hands on the inner walls, giving the place more energy to form the very vast space and levels needed to build Helheim. It was a void, pitch black darkness, like looking into a black hole. Rowan could feel the place drain her of energy, using her strength to build her realm of the dead. Her hand had that glow and she watched as the darkness took her power to form Helheim out of her blood.

She glanced over at Death and saw his fatigue; he was being drained as well. She thought of him as an asshole, but he was putting so much of himself into this as she was for the sake of the souls. The Keeper of the dead and the one who has power over the time of their death, together building the realm that will welcome them home.

Then she realized what Death had meant when he had said she couldn't do it alone. Building Helheim was draining her as it is and they haven't yet begun the levels and the spaces, transforming the cavern. If she had done it alone, it would indeed take a long time because she would have to stop and rest. Not only that, but they were, in a way, partners in Death, like she was partners with Crowley. Although partners with Crowley has some perks that she's never want from Death.

Gross.

Rowan couldn't keep thinking of Death as an asshole. A little cold and impersonal, yes, but it was important to work with him. Even if they would never cross paths in their jobs, they were still partners. Whether she liked him or not, she was stuck with him. What a pleasant thought.

She looked out into the darkness, picturing different levels, sort of like Dante's Inferno, but not narrowing down like a funnel; more like a corporate building where you have to work your way up to the first floor, where you have the entire bonus package. That's what she wanted Helheim to be. She wanted to sort out the souls based on how they lived their lives; what they gave others will return to them in Helheim. If a person always gave of themselves when they could, they'd be in the higher levels of Helheim. If they were selfish and cruel, but not bad enough to go to Hell, they would be at the bottoms levels, depending on how bad they lived.

Hades' Underworld had judges to determine where the souls would go. Well, she wasn't going to judge them; she was going to let their life actions speak for them. The old Helheim didn't have any of that, but it was time for a change and change was good.

And the perfect way to make the souls work their way up to the higher levels is to treat the bottom levels like _Groundhog Day_ ; repeating the times in their lives where they mistreated others and giving them the chance to correct themselves. If and when they do, and they regret the things they had done, then they move on up.

That's where she would need to consult Crowley; how to sort, what criteria to set for the levels, when to know where to draw the line. Nothing was black and while; life was shades of gray and death was no different.

As Rowan thought of these things, she could feel the floors and ceilings growing out towards her and Death. Helheim was made of her blood, bending to her will, binding to her. Well, Death too, but he was just contributing his strength and deathly touch to building the home of the dead.

As the void split into vast levels, Rowan was just getting started.

She envisioned first a lobby of elevators, about four on each side of the short hallway, hiding those miles and miles of Helheim from view. Those elevators would bring the souls down to their designated level just beneath the lobby, stretch on for miles all around under their feet. Ahead of the escalator, at the end of the short hallway, would be two spaces. The first would be the office where the Draugar and Rowan would review the souls working on their Groundhog Day and so on. It would be large enough with four desks and shelves full for documentation. There would be a large window where they could overlook the first level, the ones receiving the very best of Helheim; the ones that deserved the very best for their selflessness. She'd like to have computers and iPads, to store all the personal data of the souls, but that would be details for later.

The second space would be special. For now, Rowan simply thought of a wonderful apartment, looking more like a New York penthouse with windows that showed wonderful landscapes of the wilderness of the world above, or whatever its inhabitant wanted. That would be a surprise for someone who deserved a good place to stay, if he wanted to, that is.

As Rowan thought of this, she could see walls closing in, now forming the very lobby she had envisioned with the four elevators on each side and the two spaces just across from her at the end of the hallway.

However, she was too drained for all the details in her mind to form. For now, the foundation, the structure, was all she was going to get and all she wanted. She could do the rest on her own with her Draugar and Gadreel.

So far, Helheim's walls where bare and dark, even the lobby was looking like dark jagged stones with metal shoots for the elevators. The doors had been created, but they remained open, as the elevators themselves were being constructed. The skeleton of Helheim was nearly finished and it would be up to her to add the tissue and flesh, covering it up with cosmetics such as artistic designs.

She was okay with that.

When the lobby was done, Rowan and Death nearly collapsed to the floor, exhausted. It hadn't taken a long time to create the foundation of Helheim, but it had taken the two of them and their strength. Death was right; the time that it took to rebuild Helheim was going to be a lot longer than the time it took to destroy it. If she had done it on her own… she never would have gotten this far in minutes.

"Thank you." Rowan mumbled, glancing at Death who met her eyes, still with that blank expression, as difficult to read as ever, despite being exhausted. "It should be ready for the trapped souls of the Veil in a day or two." She added and he remained silent, although she was certain he was going to argue that it would take her more than two days.

He glanced away, to her surprise, and at the elevators of the lobby.

"That wasn't on the blueprints." He said and she let out a tired laugh as she smiled. She didn't expect that, but she was too tired to think of what Death was probably thinking.

"I can't draw out the details. I have to feel it and just go with it." Rowan replied, glancing at her elevators with pride. Once everything was done, Helheim was going to be beautiful, better than before.

"Is that why you got Crowley to do it for you?" he asked and she glanced at him, too tired to defend herself, so she stuck her tongue out at him. He shook his head, judging her juvenile behavior, but she didn't care. "What is it exactly you plan on doing?" Death asked, tearing his eyes away from the elevators and looking at her with a sort of disapproval. If he didn't like her idea of levels and sorting out the souls, too damn bad.

"You know who's about to die. You make sure they die. Your reapers get the souls to the proper place. That's going to be _my_ place. Tell me how any of the details of _my_ place are any of _your_ business?" Rowan asked and he stared at her for a brief moment, but then gave a slight nod as if couldn't argue. She watched him remain silent and she arched an eyebrow at him. "Wait, is that your way of agreeing with me?" she asked and he glanced back at her, slightly annoyed.

"It is a valid point. Why do I care where the souls go?" he said and her lips slowly spread into a smile at him. The old bugger was so difficult to figure out, but he wasn't so bad. Just annoying.

"It's been a pleasure to work with you, Death." Rowan said, her eyes glistening darkly. "I hope it's the last time." she added with an air of innocence to her smile. Death, for the first time, gave her a slight grin in response, as if he also agreed to that.

"Milady, are you alright?" Bjarni asked from the escalator, climbing down and kneeling beside Rowan. It seemed her Draugar had stood back at a safe distance, memorized at the power of their Lady of Helheim.

"Just drained." Rowan replied, trying to stand up. Her physical strength was pretty good, but she knew there'd be no conjuring black nail polish or fixing the rips in her dress. Her power had been temporarily zapped out.

"Death, can we help?" Agmundr asked and received a blank stare from the old bugger as he too stood up, brushing his spotless coat, as if to brush off the offer of help.

"I'm fine." He replied and Rowan smiled, letting out a small laugh. When he turned his eyes to her, she waved him off. She wasn't about to explain why she was laughing; she was tired and powerless.

"We're just going to need a minute, guys." Rowan finally said and glanced up at her Draugar who didn't seem to know what to do without a clear order. "Death, would you like a glass of water? A bottle of wine? A pizza?" she asked and his expression was the same as always; blank and difficult to read.

"Pizza does sound good." He replied and she smiled. "And pickle chips." He added and Rowan nodded, watching as her Draugar vanished.

"Shall we have a seat in the entrance of the Underworld?" Rowan asked and they both walked up the escalator. She gestured for him to go first with a dark smile. "Guests first." She added and they climbed up as if they had just run a marathon. Once they got up to the waiting room, they seemed to have needed a couple of seconds before sitting down. Rowan left an empty chair in between them and they sat in silence, looking at the bare walls.

"I hope you weren't serious about motivational posters." Death said and Rowan smiled, glancing over at him, her nails tapping the arms of her chair that wasn't as uncomfortable as she thought.

"Would you prefer a poster saying _If you can read this, you're dead_?" she asked and when he met her eyes with a deadly serious glare, she let out a little laugh. "Oh, c'mon, that's funny." She said and looked back at the bare walls of the waiting room. "After a life of bullshit, of difficult times, why not die and arrive at a place full of irony before you step into your ideal afterlife?" she asked, not really seeing why it bothered him so much.

"For some of those souls, after a tragic death or leaving behind everyone they love, a poster to make them laugh simply won't make them laugh." He replied and she glanced over at him, allowing herself to think it over and dare to ask him a question.

"You care?" she asked and his eyes hardened and it should have frightened her, but it didn't.

"My job isn't fun. This is a heavy ring to wear." He said, lifting his hand so she could see that silver band underneath this white stone on that boney finger of his. "Someone has to do it. I'm very old. This world is just a baby and its humans are insignificant." He said and before he could continue, she jumped in.

"You do care. It's not that humans are insignificant. You care because you see the bonds they have with other individuals, the love they have for their parents and their children. You see generations of families stretching on and you see the beauty of their short-lives, of the legacy they leave behind." Rowan said and he stayed silent to listen to her. If he wanted to cut her off like she had to him, he didn't take his chance. Maybe he wanted to hear what she was about to say next. "In one of my foster homes, the mother there said that angels find humans beautiful because of their souls, of their humanity. I know angels don't give a shit, but everyone else above humans like to put them down. The funny part? You, me, monsters, Gods, even demons, love their souls and their humanity. Maybe we love how vulnerable they are. Maybe we love how powerful they are. Maybe we want to take care of them or maybe we want to tear them to shreds. The point is, we care about these insignificant humans because if we didn't, we'd leave them alone to roam the earth long after they're dead, too busy with Heaven, Purgatory or the Underworld to rule. These humans are important to us in some way that varies to us all." Rowan said, staring at Death with her own sense of deadly serious.

If he had anything to say at all, he seemed to keep it to himself as he just stared at her.

"Maybe my funny posters are to let them know that death isn't the end; death is the next chapter." Rowan said and her Draugar arrived with pizza, pickle chips and Pepsi drinks. And apparently, Rowan and Death were being served as Bjarni gave them little paper plates while the boys served slices of pizza.

"And do you care about humans, even if they've done horrible things not yet deserving of Hell?" Death asked as he stared at his food, as if in love with it.

That was supposed to be a trick question. He must know her history, how she had been taken advantage of in her foster homes. He probably expects her to say that horrible people don't deserve her kindness. However, she was just a kid then, unaware of what she is. Now, she's Hel and things are different.

"Everyone has a story and I'm going to know each and every one of them. I'm not going to love them all, but they will have a place in my Kingdom." Rowan replied and her Draugar stared at them as if wondering what kind of conversation they were having in their absence. "I'll love my job because this is who I am. This is my purpose." She concluded and watched as he ate, obviously deciding that their conversation was over. She hoped he would eat that fast and then fuck off; the sooner he's gone the better.


	33. Chapter 33

**Angel of Hope**

Rowan and Death ate pepperoni pizza, pickle chips and swallowed it down with Pepsi. There was plenty left, so Rowan gestured to her Draugar to join in on the fun and she didn't want to hear that demons don't eat. They had been sitting in silence for a while, enjoying the junk food while Rowan slowly regained her strength, until Death spoke.

"I see you've met Gadreel." He said and Rowan nodded with a smile.

"Yes, and he's currently with Sam and Dean Winchester." Rowan replied, taking a sip from her Pepsi. "I'm looking forward to working with him." she added and glanced over at Death who seemed quiet. "Why exactly did you want me to _employ_ him, as you had put it?" she asked and he looked down at his pickle chips rather than meeting her eyes.

"I told you; he needs a second chance as well as sanctuary." Death said and when she remained silent, he glanced at her to see an arched eyebrow as if she was trying to read him, like there was something he wasn't telling her. "You have a bleeding heart these days. I figured you would find a place for him here." He said and she smiled in response.

"Seems I'm not the only bleeding heart around here." She said and ate her pickle chips with a smile, knowing that Death was giving her that cold stare, because she was right once again. He might find humans to be insignificant, but apparently he finds Gadreel was a victim of injustice.

Death used his napkin to conclude their little picker-upper meal, wiping his mouth and his hands. Bjarni took his paper plate, placing it in the empty pizza box that Agmundr and Raganhar had finished off.

"Well, I'll leave you to work on Helheim. I'll check in after two days." Death said and Rowan grinned, knowing he'd eventually say something about it taking more than two days.

"Thanks for the help." She said and when he glanced at her, she was seriously thanking him, but then her seriousness was gone with a little dark glimmer in her eyes. "Try not to work too hard." She added with a little grin. He glanced away, as if he wasn't going to miss her, and walked towards the portal, disappearing like he had arrived; lost in a glowing circular shape. He didn't even say goodbye.

Rowan gave her paper plate to Bjarni and stood up, fixing her hair and her dress.

"I'll get Gadreel to help us build Helheim." She said and vanished before saying anything else to her Draugar.

She stood in the kitchen of the Men of Letters' bunker, stumbling a little backwards, not yet fully restored from constructing Helheim. She leaned against the counter, looking beside her to see the bottle of scotch. She grabbed it, decided to skip the glass, and took a sip. The liquid burned down her throat, but it felt greatly energizing. She left the bottle on the counter and walked out of the kitchen.

She could hear some voices down the corridor, probably at the tables where they did their research. Did those boys not take her seriously when she told them to rest? What did she have to do, threaten them?

She confirmed what she thought as she had felt four individuals in that direction and began walking towards them. Her pumps clacked against the floor and the voices stopped when they heard her. She probably could walk more silently, but she just made Helheim; screw it, the Winchesters were going to have to hear her shoes on their floor.

Fenrir got up and gave her a wide grin as soon as he saw her. She stopped and narrowed her eyes at him. What the Hell did Dean do to her brother?

"Hey sis, you look great." He said and she looked at the Winchesters behind him, getting up to see her.

"Is my brother drunk?" she asked them and Dean gave her this little guilty smile, looking a little dazed. She glanced over at Sam with a slight grin. "Is _your_ brother drunk?" she added and he let out a little laugh.

"Yeah." Sam replied and Rowan tried to walk around her brother, but he pulled her into a hug.

"I love you, little sis." He added and she tried not to get crushed against his wall of a muscular chest, but he wouldn't let her go. She looked over at Gadreel who hadn't gotten up like the other boys had. He was looking as uncomfortable as she felt. Did the Winchesters not make him feel welcomed?

"I'm actually here for Gadreel." She said and he got up then, but Fenrir didn't get the hint. For an angel, he seemed eager to go with the Lady of the Dead.

"You're not going to stay?" Fenrir asked, making this sound that Rowan could have sworn was the whining of a pup.

"I'm building Helheim." Rowan said, casting a little smile Gadreel's way.

"I can help." Fenrir said and she tried pushing her brother way, but he wouldn't let her go. She could have let out a fierce growl of her own, but she kept herself calm; it wasn't his fault a certain hunter got him drunk.

"Brother, I don't think you can. But I will keep in touch with you. You know, grab a coffee, set you up on some dates." Rowan said and he let out a little laugh, finally letting her go. She quickly stood back and smoothed out her dress.

"No one's gonna want to date the big bad wolf." Fenrir replied and she looked at him with a smile. She could have said something good like _Well, stop being such an asshole_ or _Then, trying flirting back, you jerk_ , but she reminded herself to be nice.

"We'll take care of that once you're sober." She said, tapping his shoulder, only to get sucked back into his hug. "Okay, Fenrir, little sis has to work now." Rowan said and smiled as he let her go.

"So how's Helheim coming along?" Sam asked and the second she looked into his eyes, she knew without a doubt that he really cared for her. Maybe he was hoping that she would feel the same about him. That last thing she wanted to do was break his heart, but she couldn't give him any false hope; that would be worst.

"It's dark and boring, but fundamentals are the building blocks of fun." Rowan replied, making Sam smile a little at her _Uptown Girls_ reference that just so happened to fit her situation. His smile, the way he looked down, his eyes… yeah, if he had been in her life before Crowley, she would have let him fuck her on a table.

"And what is going to be like?" he asked, a little bit of fear in his eyes, but also a glimmer of hope. That's what she liked about him; he had a lighter side despite his dark world.

"What you want it to be." Rowan replied with a warm smile after a brief moment of silence. "It's going to take a while to build, but that's why I have help." She added and stepped away from her brother, glancing at Gadreel. "Ready?" she asked him and he nodded eagerly.

Rowan extended her hand for him to take. She glanced at the Winchesters and Fenrir, giving them a little smile, and then vanished from the bunker, appearing in the entrance of Helheim. She released Gadreel's hand and glanced over at him, checking to see if he was okay.

His eyes were scanning the waiting room with a bit of confusion.

"This is the entrance of the Underworld. Over to the left is the channel to Hell and to the right, Helheim." Rowan said, walking towards it, hearing Gadreel's shoes on the floor behind her. Her Draugar had been sitting in the chairs, waiting, and got up to follow her too.

They climbed down the escalators and she showed Gadreel the elevators on each side of the short corridor.

"Beneath our feet are the levels of Helheim. I've decided that the souls will be sorted." Rowan said, explaining her idea that some deserve more because of how they had lived their lives. Gadreel nodded and she wasn't sure if it was out of respect or because he agreed with her. Either one was fine with her.

She walked up to the two doors, starting with the one of the left. She opened it and turned to her Draugar.

"This will be our office where we review souls in Helheim, those that have to work their way up or those that should welcome the souls of the children, to ease their fear and uncertainty." She said, talking about how she'd like computers and iPads so that they could have all the personal data of the souls at their finger tips, to make the sorting out so much easier and faster. They seemed to have liked the idea as much as she did.

Rowan left them in the nearly empty room with bookshelves and desks that didn't even have good lighting, knowing that they'd want to discuss who had their desk in which corner.

She turned to Gadreel who was just outside of the office, as if knowing that wasn't for him. Rowan walked out and smiled at him, curling her finger to order that he follow her.

"This is something I wanted to show you." Rowan said and when she opened the door, she turned to see his expression. She gestured for him to go in first and she watched his face. He didn't know what to make of the penthouse styled apartment. Unlike the office, this was furnished and beautiful.

The first part of the apartment was the living area, all wood floors, with dark oak bookshelves in the right corner with a lovely brown reading chair and a hanging lamp. To the left corner were a rack for coats and a carpet for shoes. Further down on the left wall was a gray stone fireplace and above it was a sixty inch screen television. In the center of the room was a light colored carpet and to the right, not quite touching the wall, was a white sofa with white chairs and a glass coffee table. In the center of the ceiling was a modern chandelier, casting light all around.

Further in were the dining room and kitchen combined in an open concept, all wood, white cabinets and drawers with stainless steel appliances. The light fixtures were hanging lights above the table and spot lights around the kitchen.

To the left, in between the kitchen and living area was a bedroom with warmer colors, like teal and brown, in modern styles. Gadreel probably didn't need a bedroom, but it was there if he wanted it.

Gadreel looked around, walking in to see the entire apartment which was large enough for a family. His expression was difficult to read, but she was certain that he would want to stay in Helheim.

"What do you think?" Rowan asked and he turned to her, eyebrows knitted in confusion.

"What is this?" he asked her and she smiled, approaching him in the center of the penthouse.

"Well, I didn't want to ask right away, but I can't resist." Rowan said, looking at the place, wondering if maybe he wasn't sure because it was too much; too big and too fancy. Maybe he'd like something simpler. She relaxed and continued. "I want your help in building Helheim, but I would like to offer you a place to stay and work, if you'll accept." She said, glancing into his sea-green eyes with a soft smile.

"You want me to stay?" he asked and she thought maybe that was relief in his eyes.

"I think it would be good to have an angel in Helheim, maybe to care for the first level of souls." She said and held out a set of keys. "This place is all yours if you want it." she added and he looked at the keys, a little surprised, but mostly confused. It seemed like there was so much he wanted to say and just didn't know how. He glanced back up into her eyes and she saw it; uncertainty.

Gadreel surprisingly turned and sat in one of the white chairs. She sat on the other across from him, waiting for him to open up.

"Why did Death send you?" he asked and she realized that she had never told him what Death had said about him. She nodded and spoke in a soft voice.

"He told me that I might want to hire an angel that deserved of a second chance and a safe place." Rowan replied with calmness and warmth in her expression. He only stared at her and remained silent for a brief moment.

"Do you know what I did?" he asked and she looked at him, letting him know that she was going to attentively listen with compassion. "I failed Eden. I let Lucifer in; allowed my blindness and foolishness to fail God's children." He added and she let the compassion show in her eyes as she gently reassured him.

"That's wasn't your fault." She said and he shook his head. "You know who's to blame." she added and he looked up into her eyes like a scared child. "Lucifer is the only one to blame." she concluded, but he shook his head again.

"I was supposed to keep Eden safe." Gadreel said and Rowan's heart began to bleed, hearing the years of guilt and self-loathe in his voice. He blamed himself because everyone else did. And that's when Rowan had a question she was sure who silence his self-loathing.

"Why you?" she asked and he seemed stunned.

"What?" he asked and she kept the compassion strong in her eyes.

"Why was it just you? Why was there just one angel protecting Eden? Why not more? When Lucifer slithered his way in, where were the other angels?" she asked him, realizing that his silence wasn't simply him being shocked, but him asking himself those questions. "It was unfair to place all that responsibility on you. It was unfair to punish, torture and imprison you for something that the other angels left you to do on your own. _They_ failed Eden. _They_ failed _you_ , Gadreel." She concluded and he stared into her eyes as if finally seeing a light at the end of his dark tunnel; like finally someone was lifting the heaviness off his shoulders.

Gadreel remained silent for a moment and Rowan got up, taking his hand and placing the keys to the penthouse in his palm, enclosing his fingers on it, holding onto his hand. He looked up into her eyes and she gave him a warm smile.

"You're not alone here. We're a family here. The place is yours if you want it. If you lose the keys, they'll always reappear in your pocket." She said, still holding onto his hand until she received an answer. Finally, Gadreel had given her a small smile, looking down at their hands.

"Thank you, Rowan." He said and she released her grip on him, looking at the windows that revealed the darkness of Helheim.

"I was hoping to give you a nice view. Anything you want." She said and he got up, looking at the windows.

"Perhaps a view of the first level of Helheim, when it's complete." He said and her lips broadened in a bright smile.

"Wish granted." She replied and then slapped her hands, turning around to leave his penthouse. "So let's get to work." She concluded, getting her Draugar to start constructing the first level of Helheim, which seriously needed a name rather than _first level_.


	34. Chapter 34

**Glory be Thy Name**

As they stepped into the lobby of elevators, Rowan stood in the center of the floor, looking down, her ghostly apparition simmering out of her body as her power conjured forms in the floor, along with the fresh cut on her healing palm, droplets of blood falling to the floor. She was creating a design in the center; the outer circle was of a snake swallowing its own tail. That was Jormungand, but also a symbol that life and death is just a cycle of Life; that death is not the end. In the center of that circle, was a woman with half a peacefully sleeping face and half a beautiful skull, both nicely blended together, with poppies, a death omen, and a howling wolf at her neck, covering the lower half of the circle.

"Milady, it's beautiful." Bjarni said as she walked around it. As the souls would enter the lobby of elevators, they would see this design and unknowingly look at the children of Loki, the Lady of Helheim being in the very middle of the design.

At that moment, the elevators closed their doors and began functioning, going down to the seventh floor and coming back up. It seems Rowan's drops of blood had done more than create a beautiful design in the center of the lobby.

"Wonderful, Milady." Agmundr said in awe at the power she had put into the place, how modern it had become compared to the original Helheim.

"Seven levels, Milady?" Raganhar asked and she glanced at them with a smile as the walls of the lobby began a soft tan as the floor was a slightly darker shade of tan. There was a chandelier that appeared over head of them, shining bright and causing the metal of the elevators to shine.

"I think seven seems like a good amount. I need to work out the details, but for now, we're working the first level which needs a name." Rowan said and pushed one of the buttons of the elevator, opening the doors. She walked in and the interior was a warm golden color with bright lights and soft instrumental music.

Gadreel and her Draugar followed her in, watching as she pressed the bottom for the first floor beside the one that said _M_ for _Main_ , being the lobby. The doors closed and it softly lowered to the first floor. There was a gentle bell and the doors opened, revealing a pitch black floor. They remained in the elevator and Rowan knew they were waiting for her order.

"Gadreel, what was Heaven like before the little boxes? Do you remember?" She asked, glancing over at him.

"They had one location that was their home or their favorite place. It was big enough to resemble the actual place, but if they tried to leave it, they'd be in another location within a second, perhaps to a friend's piece of Heaven, as they had called it." Gadreel replied and she nodded her head, listening. Apparently, that was what she wanted to do, but she also wanted an open concept.

Rowan stepped out of the elevator, squeezing her hand into a fist, letting drops of blood fall to the black floor. Then, as she stepped further into the darkness, it was as if her presence chased away the black abyss. A corridor appeared under what was like a fog of black, revealing archways and other corridors crossing over. It would be like a labyrinth of hallways, revealing passages to beautiful places. There were no doors to keep the souls in; they were free to visit family and friends.

By the archways, stone plaques appeared as if the names of the souls would be etched into it. Gadreel and the Draugar stepped out, following Rowan. Across from them, the same length of the lobby on the main floor, were the other elevators. All eight were in the center was a stone wall to the right and sandy stoned corridors and archways all to the left, stretching on for miles. They couldn't even see where it ended.

Above their heads, the darkness vanished with more of Rowan's blood, being replaced by a bright blue glow spreading, resembling the sky with a bright light of the glowing sun, and there were even some beautiful white fluffy clouds. It looked like the sky stretched on for miles. She even fashioned it to turn dark, revealing stars and the Moon at exactly the phase of the real one above Earth.

It no longer seemed like they were in the realm of the dead, underground.

Then, each sandy colored stone archway began to glow in those corridors, creating spaces for the souls.

"And what is in those archways?" Bjarni asked. They didn't look very spaced out, as Rowan probably had wanted, but their Lady of the dead didn't seem worried.

"Have a look." She calmly said, stepping into the nearest archway with her Draugar and Gadreel. As they walked in, everything else seemed like it had never been there. This space stretched on for miles, a beautiful park, with picnic tables, fire pits, and a playground for children, with forestry and mountains all around. There was a beautiful sky, orange and pink with a setting sun behind soft clouds. There was a light breeze and an eagle flying overhead. In the distance, they could see a doe and her fawn eating at the edge of the forest on the other side of the park.

"I never would have imagined that there were other archways around this place." Bjarni said, finding the place beautiful despite the fact she was a demon.

"It's beautiful." Gadreel said and Rowan turned to them, smiling at them.

"And behind you, you can see the corridor." Rowan said and, as she had said, they walked out and were back in the corridor with the elevators in front of them. They turned and the archway was glowing bright. "It can be the same place for another favorite memory. Either way, the souls will find their home here." She said, looking around with pride. "I'll just need some help to make sure that the souls don't have a hard time navigating this maze." Rowan concluded with a slight frown on her face.

Gadreel stepped up to her, giving her a slight smile.

"I could do that." He said and she smiled at him with a slight hint of worry in her eyes.

"Not alone. It'll be too much to do alone. I'll think of something." She said and his smile grew. She hadn't said that he wasn't capable of doing it alone, nor did she compare this to Eden; she simply didn't want him to carry all of this responsibility on his shoulders, as it didn't seem fair to her.

Rowan turned to her Draugar and glanced down at the stone corridors and glowing archways with the beautiful blue sky above.

"Are there any touches we could add?" she asked and then gasped as if she had an idea before they could even answer her. She extended her hands, this time both palms bleedings onto the floor. Everything began to tremble slightly and then shift. At first, it seemed like everything was literally moving, but then it seemed like only a mirage.

"Milady?" Raganhar asked with confusion.

"Who wants to walk down miles of corridors?" Rowan asked and smiled, waving her hands as a ghostly fog swirled up by her feet; her power was manipulating the space around them. "Whenever a soul passes through here, their designated place will come to them." She added and then smiled at Gadreel. "Less work for you." She concluded and he gave an appreciative smile.

As the shifting settled, the plaques on the archways remained empty. They would most likely have the soul's name etched into it when they would arrive.

Rowan turned to the wall behind them, adjacent to the elevators, and stared at it.

"Milady?" Agmundr asked.

"What should we name this level?" she asked and they exchanged glances, like they had no idea and rather didn't want to admit it.

"Glory." Gadreel replied and when Rowan glanced at him over her shoulder, her smile said it all; she was happy with his response and his confident smile.

"Glory it is." She said and, placing a bloody hand on the wall, the word _Glory_ was slowly being carved into the stone as her blood seeped into the wall. There was charring that slowly simmered and spread, to darken the outlines of the word. Then, faded colors began to appear, darkening as they could see decorating flowers as a backdrop to the word.

The first level of Helheim was now _Glory_.

"This is where good souls will come to live; those that wore their hearts on their sleeve. Those that thought of others before themselves and were charitable, compassionate." Rowan said and Bjarni gave a slight grin.

"Like Saints?" she asked and Rowan looked at her with a slight grin of her own.

"We'll see once we get souls coming in." she replied, but was actually thinking of asking Crowley's advice on knowing where to draw the line. "What do you think, Gadreel?" she asked and when she turned to him, he seemed pretty happy. "Maybe you and I could go over the criteria." She added and he nodded.

"When you have the time." he said and she gave him a bright smile.

"On second thought, you can head over to your place and get started on that while I start on the second level." Rowan said, tapping his shoulder. He gave her a slight nod, appreciating the responsibility and the chance to prove his worth. More importantly, he appreciated having someone so compassionate, seeing him as a worth asset. She was slightly worried that her fast pace thinking would make it look like she didn't want to work with him, but he seemed to understand her.

"I'll make a meticulous list." Gadreel said and Rowan gave him another tap on the shoulder. As he looked at her, there was a slight hint of concern in his eyes as he could see she was beginning to get overwhelmed with creating the levels of Helheim. If he could help her with the little details, he hoped that would take off some of her stress.

"Thank you, Gadreel." She said and watched as he got back into the elevator, then her Draugar got another elevator ready for her. They stepped in and pressed on the number two button. The same instrumental music played overhead, and when the doors opened, it was a déjà vu; a darkness that seemed like they were looking into a black hole.

"One level down, six more to go." Raganhar said, making Rowan smile. It didn't take long to make the first level, but that was pretty easy, or at least their Lady of the dead made it look easy. The second level should be pretty easy too, or so they hoped. She did have six more to go and two days to get everything ready for all those trapped souls. That meant, not only designing, but figuring the criteria for each level and getting organized. She still had to get computers and iPads.

And then she had to figure a way to get to Metatron so she could then offer the angels a sweet deal, all so she could get those souls in Heaven. She was going to be busy for quite some time and, not that she wanted to heavily rely on Crowley for everything, but she knew he was interested in the Angel tablet. If he was interested, he'd help her out. Not only that, but she also had Gadreel who would probably help her out with Metatron.

Just an ordinary day for the Goddess of Helheim.

The Draugar exchanged glances, beginning to notice that Rowan was stressed. She was using her power and her blood; they knew she'd have to take a break at some point of the project.


	35. Chapter 35

**Tuckered Out**

Rowan decided that the second level shouldn't be so different from the first and she then had to think just what bonus package do the souls in the upper levels get that the others don't. The idea sounded pretty good, but now she wasn't sure what the grand reward was for living an empathetic life. She could always ask Gadreel for his opinion. Yes, she was relying a lot on him, but he really enjoyed getting a second chance, even if it was from someone he just met a while ago. And she really enjoyed having him around. Oh, not like that; she had Crowley for that, but Gadreel was kind and gentle. If the other angels weren't like him, she didn't want to meet them, especially not those that mistreated him.

She stepped out of the elevator and, once again, it was like her blood chased the darkness away, revealing cobblestone floors this time, with gray brick stone walls, once again creating archways along the corridors. The lobby of elevators was the same as above, a stone wall to the right and miles of corridors and archways to the left. She spilled more blood to make the whole place shift, bring the correct room to the soul so they wouldn't have to wander throughout the whole level. The sky above was blue with clouds and a warm sun. Apart from the cobble stones, the two first levels looked the same.

Rowan stood in place, looking at what she had created, and not really knowing what else to do. She had ideas for the new Helheim, but when it came to the little details, it seemed a little overwhelming. This was the realm of the dead, it had to look wonderful!

"Milady?" Bjarni asked, seeming to sense Rowan's hesitation. Now her stress had increased significantly.

"Okay, you know when Death asked me if I had made any plans and I said that I just went with how I felt?" Rowan asked her Draugar, glancing at them with a little uncertainty in her eyes. "Well, I don't think that was a good idea." She added with a little nervous smile. Not only that, but her breathing was a little too fast. Rowan looked slightly drained and stressed. Her Draugar knew they had to help calm her down or else all they'd have are two levels of Helheim.

"Oh, you're doing great." Raganhar said, approaching and, for the first time ever, placed a reassuring hand on her forearm. Her Draugar had never been physical because that had been disrespectful. However, everything was different, which Rowan liked. There was a calming ease that washed over her as she let his words sink in. She was doing great; she just recreated Helheim with Death, made two channels to the two parts of the Underworld and the entrance. Now, she created the first two levels. She did a lot and was still standing, a little drained, but ready to keep working.

Bjarni seemed nervous about the physical contact, but when she saw Rowan smiling, she relaxed. Their Lady of the dead has indeed changed, allowing for everything to change, which was nice.

"Yeah, whatever details can be added later, things can always be changed before the souls arrive." Rowan said, exhaling her stress. She couldn't let these little details bother her. She had to stay calm and focus. "I'm over thinking it." Rowan added and her Draugar came around her to reassure her. Bjarni threw her arms around Rowan in a little hug, and then stood back with a smile.

As Rowan looked at them, she couldn't help but think that they didn't act like demons. She looked into their eyes and saw the black smoke of their demon essence, but something was different. She wasn't sure what seemed so different. In that moment, she remembered what they had told her; that maybe she could reverse their demonic condition. Was that slowly taking place? She couldn't tell and when they began arching their eyebrows at her, noticing how she was staring, she brushed it off and smiled.

"I'm going to call this level _Heart_." Rowan said and glanced at the archways that began glowing, portals to memories or to wishful thinking were ready to be used. "For those that have good intentions, that try to do well in their lives. It's not to say that trying isn't good enough. Maybe the first two levels can receive bonus packages." She added, thinking out loud and getting support from her Draugar as if she was addressing them.

"You know we're here to help." Agmundr had said and she nodded, knowing that that was a reminder. "And maybe a bonus package isn't needed." He added and she nodded again, thinking that maybe the souls would simply be happy to be with their loved ones.

"Maybe just favorite foods, TV shows, hobbies, things they never got to do in their life like drive a Ferrari." Raganhar said and Rowan smiled, looking at him with a glimmer in her eyes.

"What would I do without you three?" she asked them and they gave her dark grins.

"Have a panic attack." Agmundr replied, making Rowan laugh.

"Stand in front of a wall, saying you can't make Helheim." Bjarni added and Rowan smirked.

"Struggle over little details." Raganhar concluded and she glanced at them, shaking her head. Yeah, her Draugar have changed; maybe being sarcastic had to do with the fact they were demons, but she loved them all the same.

"Thanks for reminding me." she replied and cut her palm, blooding the wall of the elevator lobby. There was charred lines beginning to spread, spelling out the word _Heart_ , as designs of hearts and banners appeared, like an old painting.

Then, she punched the down arrow of the elevator. It was time to work on the third level where things were going to be a little different.

"You're just stressed out." Bjarni said, standing next to Rowan with a little smile. "It hasn't even been a full week since meeting Jormungand and remembering that you're Hel. And you have so much work to do. It's a lot to take in, even for a Goddess." She added, comforting Rowan by letting her know that they understood. Not only that, but it helped Rowan to remember that she wasn't allowing herself to slowly ease back into her good old Hel self.

They walked into the elevator, pressing the number three button, listening to the calming instrumental music filling the void that was the silence in between them. When the door opened, it was the same view; darkness that seemed to never end. The Draugar glanced over at Rowan and she seemed tired; like she was beginning to get overwhelmed again.

She extended her hands, looking at her already healing palms. Her hands trembled slightly and Bjarni took her hands, holding them with a tender touch and smile.

"Why don't you take a break, Milady?" Agmundr asked with concern in his voice. Rowan exhaled, seriously debating it. "We can get things started in the office if you'd like." He added and she quickly nodded; as long as she continued doing something useful.

Rowan pressed the _M_ button, watching the doors close. Bjarni released her hands, but looped her arm with hers instead.

"You should sit down and relax, Milady. Anything you want, we'll get it for you." She said and when the elevator doors opened to the main floor, they stepped out, Bjarni still with her arm looped with Rowan's, walking at a slower pace.

At that moment, Gadreel's door opened and he looked at her with a deepening expression of concern.

"Rowan, are you alright?" he asked and she nodded, but she looked tired. "Perhaps you should rest in my apartment." he said and she nodded, as if anything sounded good at the moment.

Bjarni guided Rowan into Gadreel's penthouse as he kept the door opened for them. He then showed Bjarni to his bedroom and turned on the light. It was a beautifully large room, filled with comfortable furnishings.

"Wow, I think Gadreel got the best deal here." Bjarni said, getting Rowan to smile weakly. Gadreel helped Bjarni get Rowan onto his king sized bed, laying weakly on the teal colored bedspread. Gadreel took a soft white throw blanket from one of his chairs in front of another flat television screen and placed it over Rowan, bringing down one of his plush pillows and placing it under her head.

Bjarni sat on the edge of the bed, placing her hand on Rowan's arm. She was already drifting off into sleep.

"What happened?" Gadreel asked in a whisper as to not wake Rowan up.

"The second level inundated her. You know, she remembers she's Hel and then everything just hits her. We show up, her brother finds her, Death proposes that she rebuild Helheim, pressuring her with the Veil trapped souls and those in Heaven. He pressures her with a way to get in between Metatron and the Angel tablet and she builds Helheim alone. It hasn't even been a week!" Bjarni said with agitation in her voice and her eyes. She cared deeply for Rowan and watching her work herself to exhaustion angered her because no one was giving her the chance to ease back into who she used to be.

When Bjarni glanced up at Gadreel, she knew that his deep scowl had nothing to do with the pressures on Rowan.

"What?" she asked him and he narrowed his eyes at her.

"Death wants her to defeat Metatron, open Heaven and somehow convince the angels to do what, transfer the souls to Helheim?" he asked and Bjarni nodded, realizing that he didn't know about what Rowan was supposed to do with Metatron.

"I'm sure she would have asked for your help." Bjarni said, certain of that fact.

"I'm not upset that she didn't tell me. I'm upset that it has to be her responsibility." Gadreel replied, glancing down at her as if the tables had turned and she was the one unfairly given a job to do on her own, which was true.

"It should be Castiel." Bjarni replied, but that wasn't what Gadreel meant either as he glanced back at her. "Rowan," she added, calling her by name for the first time, which felt somewhat disrespectful even if she knew her Lady of the dead would be alright with it. "Rowan, has already figured that she can get the angels to sign the souls over in exchange for defeating Metatron and opening Heaven." She concluded as Gadreel simply stared at her, listening.

"I realize that she's the only one powerful enough to solve these problems." He said and Bjarni stood up, placing a hand on her even if it felt weird to be nice with an angel.

"She's not alone. She has us, Crowley, the Winchesters and her brother." She said and Gadreel gave a slight nod as if he knew that. Rowan didn't want him to feel like he was alone, but there she was, shouldering the responsibility alone even if everyone around her was there to help.

"I will not let her confront Metatron on her own." Gadreel said and Bjarni smiled at him, at how much conviction was in his voice. He hadn't known Rowan for very long and he was already very loyal to her, because she was the first to show him kindness. "I have a list on my coffee table. If Rowan wakes before I return, show it to her. I'll be speaking with the Winchesters and Castiel if I can." He added and she nodded, watching him leave the bedroom, then the apartment.

Bjarni glanced down at the peacefully sleeping Lady of the dead, smiling as she tucked her hair out of her face. Rowan treated everyone with compassion and respect and she knew that when she'd need others, they would all be there for her.

Raganhar stepped in quietly, glancing at Rowan with concern. Bjarni looked up and grinned at him.

"She's not a child, you don't have to walk on the tips of your toes." She said and he waved her off; he was just careful not to make noise. He approached and adjusted the blanket as to cover her neck. "She's sleeping. I don't think she can make Helheim in two days, not without killing herself." Bjarni added with a worried look in her eyes. Raganhar frowned at her, knowing that it wouldn't kill Rowan, but it would drain her faster than she could rest.

"If it takes longer, Death can take a hike. He's going to have to accept that the souls will have to wait." He said and Bjarni nodded her head in agreement. Rowan was the most important thing, not those souls. "Do we take turns watching over her?" he asked and Bjarni shot him a grin. "There's nothing else to do." he concluded and she smiled.

"Yes there is. Go get some computers, laptops, iPads and printers." She ordered and he frowned at her.

"I don't take orders from you." He replied and she gave a dark playful scowl.

"Our Lady of Helheim would want that." Bjarni replied and he smiled, shaking his head. He left the room, leaving her to watch over Rowan while he went off to work in their office space, which would please Rowan.


	36. Chapter 36

**Tears and Fears**

She was a little girl again, running with her brothers and laughing. Fenrir was still bigger than her, but he was the size of an average dog, while Jormungand was the size of a python snake. They preferred their animal forms, but reverted to their human form for their little sister who couldn't understand why she couldn't be an animal too. Jormungand had small and thin features, making him look like Fenrir could beat him at thumb war without a thumb.

They played with her, making her laugh so much that her little face would start to glow, a glistening zombie aura of power.

And then came Odin who started down at them with disgust. Even at that age, he wanted them gone and didn't care how far he had to go to accomplish that. They would stop playing under his intense stare and when their father came over, glaring at Odin, they felt better. Their father would never let Odin do anything bad.

Odin left and their father knelt down to them, encouraging them to play. Their mother wasn't there; she couldn't be in Asgard and their father tried to keep them from crying by sneaking out to a secret passage he had found. They rarely got to see their mother, but this time, they would.

"We have to be quick." Their father said. As Hel looked into his eyes, she could see his well hidden grace. Somehow, she always knew what she saw made him so different from the other Gods. She thought that's what made him so nice and caring whereas the other Gods were cold.

They followed their father and because Hel was so little, and who couldn't run or slither as fast as her brothers, their father gave her a piggyback ride.

The grand palace of the Gods sat towards the end of Asgard, which was huge when you were a little girl. The palace reached up high in the sky, glistening with gold and silver, surrounded by vast forests and streaming waters, sitting in front of large mountains. Odin lived in the palace while everyone else in these mansions on the other side of Asgard. Their father had one of the smallest mansions, but it was the best place to be because they were a family.

They ran quietly through the forest and the streams. The secret passage was off to the left of the grand palace, tucked away in the mountain. It was a portal and all they had to do was think of their mother and she would be on the other side. Their visits couldn't take too long and it was always hard to leave her.

Their mother was tall and big, but she could shrink down. She was beautiful with long braided dark hair and almond colored eyes with a browned skin tone like brown sugar. She would always hug her children where they could take in her sweet honey scent. It was no wonder why their father loved their mother.

As they reached the portal, they began to feel a surge of panic as one of the Giantesses waited for them. When she was well hidden within the mountains, she told their father that their mother was killed. They weren't sure who did it. Although no one said it, everyone thought it; it had to have been Odin, anything to weaken Loki so he could get rid of his ugly children.

That was the saddest say of their lives, at least until Odin finally got his wish before they were old enough to fight back. He overpowered Loki and took his children, dispersing them. He chained up Fenrir in a cell, tossed Jormungand below into the sea and had Hel taken down to Helheim because he was convinced she was half dead and she belonged with the dead.

She had seen her brother Fenrir get pulled away by chains. She saw her brother Jormungand thrown out of Asgard. Her father had seen it too, locked up while Thor ignored his pleas. He saw her being taken away. She cried and reached out to him, watching the horror on his face turn to anger.

Hel was afraid when she was escorted into Helheim. Her escort said nothing to her and then they fell into the earth, deep down into a dark place. All the dead turned towards the gate, looking at her. She walked through them, under their heavy stares, and walked up to the large open room that was dark and dull. The dead continued to stare until a warrior stepped up, looking down at her fiercely.

"What is your name?" he asked and Hel tried not to be scared.

"Hel, daughter of Loki and Angrboda." She replied, trying to sound brave. He smiled and knelt down before her; eventually so did all the other dead.

"Little Lady, Helheim welcomes you." He said and they all bowed their heads to her. As far as she could see, the dead knelt down to her. The warrior lifted his head to her, still with that smile. "This place shall be known as Hel. You, Little Lady, will be our Ruler of the dead." He added and everyone repeated. They all rose to their feet and began walking her through Helheim, which they promised to call Hel, like how the Greeks would say _Hades_ rather than _the Underworld_.

After she got comfortable, she asked the warrior, whose name was Bjorn, a question with hope mixed with sadness in her eyes.

"Is my mother here?" she asked and he looked sad to answer her question.

"No, Little Lady. This is no place for the Gods or the Giants. This is for the human dead." He replied and tears fell from her little dark eyes. He wiped them away. To make her happy, he had everyone help in building a beautiful temple and a throne. It made her happy enough to smile, making things happen, like food appearing. They would have feasts and make her laugh, making the dark place seem brighter.

But there were times where she wanted to leave and go see her father. She worried about her brothers, since she had witnessed their mistreatment. Hel had grown into the prime of her life, where the human dead said their daughters would have married. She wanted to leave Helheim, but her warrior friend said she couldn't, no one could.

That was until five dead came to her as she cried on her throne, saying they know she can do anything. If she wanted to leave, she could, only she'd have to come back to Helheim.

"How?" Hel asked them.

"You are not like us, Milady." Said one of the two women. "You are Godly. You have deathly power. You can walk both the land of the living and of the dead." She concluded and the others agreed.

"Bjorn doesn't want you to leave." said one of the men.

"If you leave and never come back, Helheim will return to darkness and misery." Said the other woman. "You make this place better." She concluded.

Hel thought of this, wondering if she could really do that. She looked at them and asked for their names. They refused to tell her, saying that with her power, she could see their lives, know their names. She was a Goddess and they would help her grow into her power.

Hel later came to learn that they were right. She later knew all the dead as if she had known them all of their lives.

She walked out of Helheim while the five dead distracted Bjorn and the others. Once she got to the gate, there was no one around and she soon walked out of the dark earth, crawling out onto the land of the living. She hadn't been there long before someone fell from the sky, glistening under the sun.

It was Thor and he was less than pleased.

"Return or face Odin." He said and, despite her fear, she stood her ground.

"Where is my father?" she asked and he approached, intimidating her by his height. Still, she stood her ground.

"He was banished from Asgard." He said and then Odin interrupted them, looking down at her fiercely.

"If you do not return to Helheim, you will be killed." He said and, despite her fear and panic, she smiled darkly at him and approached him, feeling like the Goddess the five dead had said she was.

"If you do, the dead shall rise and destroy the earth. What will you rule then, great Father." Hel said with venom in her voice. At that moment, she enjoyed the fear in his eyes. It was clear she couldn't save her brothers or her father, but she would do all that she could to keep the fear in Odin's eyes. "How clever you are, Odin; what is yours in life is mine in death. Perhaps we should see who will reign supreme." She concluded and returned to Helheim.

When she walked through the gates, Bjorn was disappointed with her. He didn't say a word, but that was the last time she had seen him. The five dead told Hel that he held Odin in high regards and, as much as he adored her, could no longer advise her.

That was fine by Hel.

She continued to grow into her power, learning the names of these five dead; Sigrid, Bjarni, Magni, Agmundr and Raganhar. She figured she held power over the dead and gave these five a gift; the ability to recover the bond to their earthly bodies so that they could walk the earth with her.

She referred to them as her Draugar.

Together, they walked the earth, collecting the dead in times of great wars, keeping the fear in Odin's eyes as he saw how she could allow the dead to walk with her. He realized she was right; the souls of the humans belonged to her in death and if she wanted to rage a war with Asgard, she would have great strength.

The only thing that gave them confidence and power high above her head was the threat to kill her brothers and her father, wherever he was hiding.

Hel remained in Helheim, the only place that made her happy, until her father came for her. She was incredibly happy, but that was going to be the last time she would see him.

Then everything changed.

Rowan opened her eyes, looking around the strange room, taking a few seconds to realize that it was Gadreel's penthouse bedroom. She sat up and felt a presence coming into the bedroom. She turned to see Bjarni with a cup of hot tea, smelling like honey, making her think of her mother.

"How was your sleep?" she asked and Rowan's heart felt heavy as her memories had played in her mind under the disguise of a dream. When Bjarni noticed her sadness, she placed the cup on the nightstand and sat beside her. "Milady?" she asked, which just summoned the memories back in Rowan's mind.

"Rowan, please." She said and felt Bjarni's arms wrap around her in a comforting hug. "I miss my family. Damn Odin." She added and let a few tears fall from her eyes.

"Rowan, take as long to relax as you need. You can't keep working yourself to exhaustion. Death and those souls can wait. Working so hard won't bring your family back." Bjarni said as she stroked Rowan's head.

At that moment, Rowan felt a fulfilling idea illuminate throughout her body, chasing away the memories and the sadness. It was something that seemed impossible, but it filled her with such happiness that she wanted to try so badly.

She could bring back her parents and her brother. She was the Goddess Hel. As her Draugar had told her, she could do anything.

She could bring her family back. Fenrir and her could have their family back.


	37. Chapter 37

**Obstacles**

Rowan didn't bother to tell Bjarni her idea of finding her parents and her brother, then brining them back. That was just as complicated, if not more, as finding a way to defeat Metatron. What her Draugar had said was true; the souls could wait, she wasn't going to drain herself in building Helheim. She was going to work on one level at a time.

It was easy to fall back under stress, but Rowan had to keep focused and calm. If she let everything overwhelm her, she wasn't useful to anyone.

Bjarni gave her a list that Gadreel had made; it was the criteria list for souls that could enter Glory. When Rowan looked up at her, there was something she wasn't saying.

"Where is Gadreel?" she asked and Bjarni gave a small smile.

"I accidently let it slip about Metatron." she replied, her smile twisted with worry.

"Where is he?" Rowan asked with an edge of concern.

"He said you shouldn't be the one to deal with Metatron. He said he was going to talk to the Winchesters and Castiel." Bjarni said and Rowan glanced away, looking down at the list. She had shown him kindness and he wasn't going to let her carry this on her own. He was going to help her and take care of Metatron with her. She smiled softly as looked up to see Bjarni tilting her head with confusion.

"I guess you're not mad." She said and Rowan's smile grew.

"Of course I'm not mad." She confirmed, patting Bjarni's hand, which brightened her up. "I was going to ask for his help, it's just a part of me wants to do everything at once. I feel this anxiety to get everything done. It's self-imposed, of course." Rowan added as Bjarni listened with a slight smile.

"I figured that much." She replied and took the cup of tea, handing it to Rowan. "Just relax, do what you can without freaking out and if that doesn't work, go see Crowley." she added which made Rowan laugh. "I'm sure he can work that stress right out." she added, smiling as Rowan seemed relaxed and stress-free, at least at the moment.

"Thanks, Bjarni." Rowan said and smiled at her. "I was dreaming of when I met you five." She said after a slight pause, which made Bjarni smile nostalgically. "I haven't thought of Bjorn in all these years." she added, watching as her friend nodded her head.

"Lucifer killed him because he refused to say where you had gone." Bjarni said which shocked Rowan.

"What?" she asked, watching as her friend gave a sad nod.

"We never told you because we knew you were just beginning to remember. We didn't want to add more stress on your shoulders." Bjarni said, looking a little guilty. "Lucifer first wanted to know where the Ruler of Helheim had gone, but we all refused to talk. As hurt as we were that you were gone, we refused to let him hurt you. So, he then demonized us and it seemed he no longer had an interest in you, or so we had hoped for the longest time." Bjarni added and then her eyes were filled with a dark nostalgic glimmer. "We were afraid that Magni and Sigrid would tell him, but the traitorous bastards still maintained some loyalty to you." She concluded, making Rowan feel a little uneasy with this information. All those years, Lucifer may have wanted to find her. And do what?

That sent a shiver down her spine.

"I personally think Sigrid and Magni didn't tell Lucifer where you were because they knew you have forgotten your true identity. No point in hurting someone who doesn't remember anything." Bjarni said, apparently not noticing Rowan's expression, thinking about why Lucifer wanted her.

"What are you guys doing at the moment?" Rowan asked, eager to change the subject.

"I ordered Raganhar to get computers and stuff." Bjarni replied with a dark grin which made Rowan smile. "You can come over to the office if you're feeling up to it." she added. Rowan nodded and walked out with her, holding Gadreel's list of criteria for her to review and her cup of tea. They left Gadreel's penthouse and turned the corner, walking into the office. Rowan was surprised to see a much better light in the ceiling, something a little more glamorous. They also positioned the desks and chairs against the four corners with their own table just off to the side so they could have whatever in their own space. The bookshelves were positioned in between each work space, creating three sections of shelf units.

The best part was seeing brand new computers, wireless keyboards and wireless mouse.

Mice?

Then, next to the computers were printers, laptops and iPads. There was even a photocopier complete with a scanner.

Agmundr and Raganhar had set up everything and sat in their desks off to the left wall with proud smiles.

"Wow, thanks guys." Rowan said, looking at the spaces that even had nameplates on the desks. Apparently Bjarni and she had the desks to the right wall, Rowan's being right next to the door, her nameplate reading _Ruler of Helheim_. "Is that your way of saying I, the closest to the door, gets all the complaints and questions?" she asked, pointing to her space. They grinned in response.

"We're just completing the installing stages." Agmundr said and Raganhar looked at his computer, clicking every so often.

"You're playing Solitary, aren't you?" Bjarni asked and he simply grinned at her.

"That's fine. I'll be at my desk, reviewing Gadreel's criteria list." Rowan said, sitting down in her chair which was pretty comfortable. She set her cup of tea on her desk, looking at her Apple Mac computer screen that revealed thirty per cent of files have been downloaded. Wow, she never had a Mac computer.

Rowan tore her eyes off her awesome computer and looked at the list and began to read.

 _To be eligible to enter Glory, the souls must…_

 _Have been charitable towards others, either give when possible or give of themselves as often as possible._

 _Have never considered themselves more important than others._

 _Have lived as best as they could by the philosophy "Live and let live", respecting and accepting the choices of others, not forcing their own beliefs on others._

 _Have done their best to forgive others, not allowing themselves to hold onto anger and hurt, allowing as best as possible a second chance to those who have done wrong._

 _Have sacrificed themselves in keeping others safe._

As Rowan read through the list, she found herself agreeing with the criteria. Whether the souls have met most or simply one of these, they would be admissible. As she reviewed the list, she smiled as she thought of Gadreel. He was indeed the best angel for the job, as he too met the criteria of the list, and she wasn't just saying that because he wrote it.

And Rowan could think of others that also met the criteria.

Then, with perfect timing, Gadreel walked into the office, looking around and smiling slightly at Rowan as he found her just to his right.

"So, what news do you have?" she asked, standing up, moving in between her desk and her table. Gadreel's expression seemed to have hinted that it wasn't the greatest news he could deliver. Not only that, but he seemed upset with the whole situation. "Gadreel, what's wrong?" she asked him, pulling her chair out and gesturing for him to sit. He shook his head, appreciating the offer, but he'd rather stand.

"I spoke to Castiel. Kevin Tran, the prophet, had both the Angel and the Demon tablets. Castiel gave the Angel tablet to Metatron, closing Heaven, and Kevin, having stolen the Demon tablet from Crowley, is also in Metatron's possession." Gadreel said and rubbed his face. "Metatron has both tablets." He added, only then sitting down in the chair, looking like a wounded anti hero, legs apart, arm supporting his down casted head. Rowan tried not to stare at him. She was in a relationship with Crowley.

But… Gadreel is great eye candy.

Oh, why was she surrounded by good looking guys? She could easy have a love triangle, but in her case, it would be a love square; a very sensitive hunter who cared a lot for her, a very caring angel and a highly seductive demon. She had the best of three worlds.

However, Crowley probably wouldn't like the idea of her sleeping around with other men, especially a Winchester and an angel. He would be a total jealous boyfriend and not in a flattering way.

Rowan placed a hand on Gadreel's tensed shoulder, giving him a reassuring rub.

"What can Metatron do with the tablets?" she asked him and he exhaled, lifting up his head, looking worried and defeated, as if the answer was really disappointing for them.

"He's the Scribe of God. He wrote the tablets for God. He's the most powerful being with the tablets and having both means he can control Heaven and Hell." He said, slowly looking up at Rowan with remorse in his eyes. "Perhaps even Helheim." He concluded.

Rowan wrapped her arms around him in a comforting hug, only he probably didn't feel like it was helping because his head was pretty much up against her breasts. Oops, a happy accident. She pulled away, thinking of Crowley, and refocused.

"The only good news is that there may be a secret way into Heaven." Gadreel said and Rowan gave his shoulder a light squeeze.

"That's great news." She said, trying to encourage him to think positive, only it didn't seem to work.

"Castiel and I will find this passage and somehow disable him." Gadreel said, not sounding very confident about getting the tablets out of Metatron's hands. Rowan knelt down to meet his eye level and gave a warm smile.

"We're doing this together, remember?" she asked him, placing her hand on his.

"I haven't forgotten." Gadreel said, trying for a smile. "But you do not understand. With the Angel tablet, Metatron has God-like abilities. He's very strong." He added, concern filling his sea-green eyes.

"I'm a Goddess whose father was an Archangel. We'll handle him together." Rowan said, making him smile a bit more. She then reached over her desk, changing the subject. When he saw his list of criteria in her hand, his eyes glimmered with a bit of hope and what seemed like a bit of doubt. "I had a chance to look over your list." She said and smiled at him. "Spot on, Gadreel. It's wonderful and it even helps me with the second level, which I named _Heart_ , by the way." She concluded, which made him smile even more, chasing away the doubt in his eyes. "Thank you. And thank you for letting me rest in your room." She added with a warm smile. He smiled softly at her, as if to say he'd do anything for her.

His smile faded slightly after a brief moment, as if he was still worried about beating Metatron. She tapped his shoulder, giving him a reassuring smile. They were going to take down Metatron together. They were going to figure out a way.

"Keep trying to find the passage and we'll handle Metatron." Rowan said and he nodded with a slight smile. He decided to take that as his cue to leave, although that's not what she meant. After Gadreel left, Rowan decided to go see Crowley. She needed to refocus her attention on him and let him know who has the demon tablet. Of course, the Winchesters wouldn't want him to have it, but Metatron sure didn't have the rights to possess it.

Not only that, but Hell needed to stay open, so maybe the tablet did belong in Hell. Details for later.


	38. Chapter 38

**Pathway to Hell**

Rowan stepped onto the escalator, bringing her down to Hell. She looked at her work, feeling quite proud of it. She stepped off, walking down the corridor that turned into more, which were highly confusing.

She turned a corner and spotted a demon who just so happened to have spotted her too. He froze and seemed a little taken back when she flashed a dark smile.

"Hey you, mind escorting me to your King? These corridors are a pain." Rowan said and the demon nodded, as if he'd rather not, but didn't have a choice.

"Right this way." He said and she followed him through the mazes of corridors.

"So, how's Hell and the whole anarchy thing?" Rowan asked, making small talk, or at least making an attempt.

"I cannot divulge that information." The demon said, not even turning to look at her. Rowan gave a little arch of her eyebrows and then accepted the fact that the demons wouldn't talk to her.

"Alright. I guess I'll ask your King." She said with a little dark smirk o her lips. The demon then glanced at her at the mention of Crowley.

"You have a relationship with him." he said with a hint of uncertainty in his statement like he was searching for a confirmation. Rowan's lips widened and she glanced over at the demon.

"I cannot divulge that information." She replied with a dark smile. The conversation pretty much died there, which was alright with Rowan because they left the labyrinth and the demon gestures to her a long corridor. He said nothing and neither did Rowan. She walked down the corridor that went from dark stones to jagged cave walls. Was this new? It sort of reminded her of the way Helheim looked before she started construction.

It was quite a long walk, but she could see an opening at the end. There wasn't much to see because it was fairly dark, but she was guessing that this was where Crowley was going to build their home. He said he was going to build her the house she described. Rowan didn't think it would be so soon.

As she reached the entrance, she smiled as she saw Crowley in the center of a quite large cavern, drawing what was probably sigils in the dark dirt, using the same method she had to build Helheim; his blood.

"I love what you've done with the place." she said, her voice echoing off the cavern walls. Crowley stood up and casually turned to cast her a seductive smile that nearly made her knees go weak. If she was searching for any incitement to not feel attracted towards Gadreel and Sam, well let's just say she forgot all about it.

Rowan approached and as soon as she was within his reach, he pulled her into a hard kiss that quickly escalated to something hot. Crowley's arm around her waist slipped down to her ass, his other arm doing the same thing, keeping her pressed hard against him. Rowan's hands traveled along his shoulders, up his neck and raking through his hair.

He pulled back first, his dark eyes glistening as he stared into her eyes.

"Hello, Chickadee." He said with his deep voice. She smiled and tilted her head with a dark grin.

"Hi, Stud Muffin." She replied and his lips twitched, as if he wasn't sure she was serious. "You're not feeling it?" she asked, frowning at his sinister grin.

"What _it_ are you referring to, exactly?" he asked and before she could ask, he slipped his hand up the slit of her dress and in between her legs. Her eyes widened with surprise and she gave a dark grin at his growing smile.

"Not that _it_. The pet name." Rowan said, but arched her leg, allowing him full access which he graciously took as he slipped his fingers into her. She closed her eyes, letting out a soft moan, enjoying his touch. She felt his breath on her neck and she smiled. "Oh, you little devil." She said and felt his lips on her neck.

"Is that my pet name?" he asked and when she opened her eyes, looking at him from the corner of her eyes, she saw that mischievous grin.

"Of course you'd prefer _Little Devil_ to _Stud Muffin_." She said and felt a little disappointed when he withdrew his fingers from her vagina.

"I don't really care, Love; as long as you scream my name during sex." He replied with a sly grin on his face. Rowan smiled, wondering if he somehow knew how she felt about Gadreel and Sam. She brushed it off; it didn't matter. Crowley was her man.

"And when is that going to be?" she asked him, wrapping her arms around his neck, batting her eyelashes with a begging smile.

"I can't go spoiling you rotten, Darling." He said and she widened her eyes with surprise as he looked so serious, despite the dark glimmer in his eyes.

"Says who?" she asked, watching a grin slowly spread on his face. "You going to make me wait?" she asked and his grin darkened. "Starve my sexual needs? Do you know what that'll do to me? I might devour you." She added, her voice becoming dark as she playfully threatened him. His grin remained as his hand slowly traveled up the curve of her waist, resting in her back.

"I'm counting on it." he replied and she smiled at him. For a quiet moment, they simply stared at each other. Rowan could feel this sort of tension and she could imagine that if that had been a movie that would have been the moment to utter three words that could make or break a relationship. With Crowley, she wasn't certain saying those words would have been wise.

"So, you building our house?" she asked and his lips twitched, making her wonder if maybe he wanted to hear those words. Maybe Rowan didn't understand him completely. She thought since he was a demon, he wasn't into emotional relationships. Heck, she wasn't even sure he was into sex, but he proved her wrong. So maybe he was proving her wrong with her theory that he couldn't love.

"When I'm not busy dealing with demons." Crowley replied, his smile and dark glimmer fading as he got serious. Even the hand in her back fell away.

"How is that going?" she asked and he gave her a small smirk.

"It's Hell. Not even demons like it here." He replied, confusing Rowan a little. She always thought demons liked Hell. Well, sadly she didn't seem to know much about demons. Not even Crowley for that matter. "I take it you didn't come to see me just for a cheap thrill." He added, his smirk growing as she smiled.

"It was a bonus." Rowan said, his smirk conjuring that dark glimmer in his eyes like earlier. "I did have quite a bit of news to share with you. I've begun Helheim with Death's help. I've already made two levels of Helheim. I should show you the entrance to our Underworld." She said, her enthusiasm slipping into her voice. "I had to take a break because I drained myself. And when Gadreel came back, told me about Metatron having both the Angel and the Demon tablets and we're both a little stressed about getting those away from the Scribe of God." She concluded, saying Metatron's title in a condescending tone of voice.

Then, she saw this confused frown on Crowley's face, which was an expression she'd never seen on him, but she found it cute.

"What?" she asked.

"Gadreel?" he asked and she arched an eyebrow at him.

"Out of all that, _that's_ all you got?" she asked him and his confused expression remained.

"What are you doing with _him_?" he asked and, as cute as she found his expression, she was annoyed with this question.

"I'd be flattered if you sounded jealous. But that just sounded so rude." Rowan replied, glaring at him slightly. "Gadreel is a great angel and he's a huge help. The angels treated him badly and he deserves to work in Helheim. He's happy. I'm happy." She added and his eyes narrowed, as if he didn't really like to hear just how happy she was to have Gadreel around. "Point is, Devil Muffin, Metatron has both tablets." She concluded and his serious expression returned.

"You plan on breaking into Heaven with Gadreel?" he asked and she couldn't tell if that was jealousy or more rudeness. Either way, it wasn't flattering.

"And Castiel." she replied and he rolled his eyes, obviously knowing Castiel. "There's a lot on my back and I'm a little stressed out, so maybe some pointers on taking down Metatron would be helpful." She added and Crowley arched a slight eyebrow at her as if that surprised him.

"The Goddess Hel is asking for my help?" he asked and she narrowed her eyes at him.

"It's Rowan and yes. How would you get the tablets from Metatron?" she asked and his lips stretched into a devious smile.

"I could have something he wants. I could use something that's important to him. I could make him think we're on the same team. I could fool him into a trap." He replied and gave her an almost soft smile, as if he liked teaching her how to be more like him. "Get to know him and use what you know." He concluded and she nodded, thinking it over as he could see from the distant look in her eyes.

Crowley kissed her soft lips for a brief moment, breaking her concentration and getting her to smile.

"How is that for helpful?" he asked and her smile grew.

"You're the best." Rowan said, getting a self-absorbed smile from the King of Hell. Like he needed to hear those words, but she really wanted to say it, slowly testing her theory that he wanted to hear her say that she loved him. She didn't have to admit it to herself; she'd known all along that she loved him. All those times talking to him in the dungeon she was slowly falling in love with him. "My little Devil Muffin." She added and he playfully glared at her. "Oh, it's perfect." She concluded and let out a small laugh as it seemed he wanted to disagree, but wouldn't because calling him her Devil Muffin made her laugh. And she was beautiful when she laughed.

Rowan was silent for a moment, dialing down her smile, as if trying to get back to business.

"I guess I should let you continue and I should probably get back to work." She said with a bit of disappointment in her eyes. She was about to pull away from Crowley, but he took her hand, making her stop and stare into his eyes.

"Knock 'em dead." He said, making her smile.

"Funny." She said and when he released her hand, she turned and walked away, glancing at him over her shoulder. Just holding her hand, making her smile, chased away the disappointment of their separation. However, that sexy little walk of hers, the moist heat of her lips (both kind of lips), had him a little disappointed of their separation. He would have loved to have taken her on the ground of Hell, but they both had work to do; plenty of playtime later.

As he watched her leave, he thought about Metatron having the Demon tablet. He knew Rowan would take it and bring it right to him. While he had Kevin right under his thumb, the little prophet told him that the Demon tablet can give a demon great amounts of power. That would be exactly what he would need to settle any uprising in Hell.

Aside from that, he knew she could handle everything. She had said that she was stressed and he had no doubt of it, but he was confident she could do anything. Rowan was powerful and she seemed very good at getting what she wanted.

Now he just had to continue his sigils to form the dirt from Hell into Rowan's dream house. It was going to take a while and many demons were itching for a revolt. However, that soon wasn't going to be a problem.


	39. Chapter 39

**Vicious Cycle**

Rowan felt much better after talking with Crowley. His little handsy action was excellent, leaving her wanting more, but now wasn't the time for sex. She had work to do and she felt energized. The best part was having an idea on how to deal with Metatron.

Rowan had crossed into the entrance, down the escalator to Helheim, took an elevator, giving Bjarni a wave and a smile, since she leaned over her desk to see how she was doing. She entered the elevator, pressed the number three button and the doors closed.

When it lowered and stopped, doors opening, she looked at that darkness with a smile.

No stress. At least not yet.

Rowan took her amethyst earrings out of her ear, taking the sharp backing and dug it into her palm, cutting her skin open. As the blood began to drip through a clenched fist, she extended her hand, letting the blood fall on the floor of the vast cavern. The darkness began to dissipate, creating stone floors and walls, not as nice as the two first levels, but nice enough. There was a blue sky above with a warm brilliant sun. It seemed nice to have that, making the souls feel like they weren't underneath the earth, because they pretty much were, even if she could confuse them by saying it was another dimension.

The lobby of elevators was to the right exactly like the first two levels. There were corridors and archways and more blood went into shifting it so that when the souls entered, their room would shift right in front of them. It was highly mysterious to the human mind, but nothing was impossible in the afterlife.

So, the third level was more or less the same and the souls might also enjoy the perks of the upper levels. However, details for later.

Rowan turned to the wall of the elevator lobby, thinking of a name for the third level. The first level of Helheim, named Glory, was for selfless souls while the second level, named Heart, was for those with good intentions, trying their best to be selfless. The third level should be for those that want to be selfless and try, but fall somewhat short of meeting those expectations. It wasn't to say that those souls weren't deserving of good things. They would simply be the difference between the upper and lower levels of Helheim.

The third level would be where she drew the line.

And the perfect name would be _Chance_. The souls would get the chance to know that wanting to do well for others was what separated you from those that did selfish things.

The wall began to simmer, as charred lines began to spread, spelling out the word _Chance_. There were designs of birds and butterflies surrounding the word, making it look pretty.

As Rowan turned to look at her work, she was feeling much better. She wasn't stressing about the details because it was more or less falling into place. She wasn't even sure she still needed to talk to Crowley about sorting the souls. It seemed like she was doing pretty good at figuring it out as she went.

Rowan stepped to the first elevator and waited for the downs to open, to take her down to the fourth level. She felt good enough for another level, even though her Draugar suggested that she should only do one level at a time. She stepped into the elevator, taking her down to the fourth level. When the doors opened, she had to repeat everything.

She cut her palm with her earring, dripping blood on the dark floor of the cavern, envisioning stone walls and floor like the third floor. She wanted corridors and archways to the left with the same elevator lobby to the right. She dripped more blood to make the labyrinth shift to bring the correct room to the soul. It was exactly the same as the third level, except this time, no name was going on the bare wall of the elevator lobby.

This was where the lower part of Helheim would start. This would be the gray zone, where the souls may not have wanted to do well by others. An example of that could be someone who simply watched as another could have used their help, but they did nothing. Of course, it depends on the situation; someone sees a woman drop her groceries and don't bother to help her may end up in the fourth level while someone who sees a person getting beaten behind a building might go lower than the fourth level. However, the details could be figured out later if they didn't fall into place.

Things were going pretty good anyway.

So, Rowan decided that the fourth level would be named _Cold_ , as there was a difference between the third and fourth level; _Chance_ would be the souls that wanted to do good whereas _Cold_ might not. Hence why she wasn't going to write _Cold_ on the bare wall of the lobby; she didn't want to tip off the souls to the importance of the number of levels, not unless she really wanted them to know, like the seventh level which was totally going to be _Groundhog Day_.

Rowan finished up the fourth level and turned to the elevator. She wasn't stressed or overwhelmed, until a horrifying idea hit her.

What if the soul's family is in upper or lower levels? They'd be separated? How could they be with their family and be happy if they were separated?

The stress began to crash over her again like the waves at the beach. Rowan braced herself against the walls of the elevator, pressed the _M_ button to return to the office to take a break. Maybe she should have listened to her Draugar and strictly do only one level at a time.

She took deep breaths and reminded herself that if, for example, a soul was in the fourth level and their family was in the first or second levels, they would have to show Rowan a bit of progress compared to their life on earth. Maybe show a bit of regret or what not. Once again, Rowan's favorite phrase: details for later.

When the elevator reached the main floor, Rowan stepped out, feeling better, but definitely wore out. The stress wasn't as bad as the previous time, but she could feel it linger like a sickening buzz after drinking a bottle of whiskey.

Rowan walked into the office and sat behind her desk. Immediately, her Draugar noticed a little ping of stress in her expression, but she gave them a small smile, reassuring them that she was fine.

"I swear, after everything is done, I'm locking myself up in a room with Crowley." she said, making them grin.

The office was filled with silence, which was comforting to Rowan. It helped her stress to fall away as she relaxed. Her computer was done downloading whatever files and she got it started up. Her Draugar had already programmed it to her name and left her to password protect it. Her wallpaper was a boring purple flower and there was basically nothing on her desktop. What was she going to put on her computer? There wasn't exactly a Microsoft program of Death. And she had a Mac computer, so she didn't think Apple had any kind of Death software either. Rowan wanted to have the data of the souls on the computers and iPads, but it was to find a way of compiling the data on electronic devices.

Oh, iCloud would be good.

And the stress was back just by thinking of creating a computer software for the souls of Helheim.

Why was she so stressed out? After working on Helheim, she could feel stress increasing and she'd worry about the things she had to get done. Then, when she's rested, or comforted by those around her, she was fine. She was confident and ready to work. Then the stress returned when she was tired. It was a fucking rollercoaster!

She took deep breaths and focused on those around rather than the self-imposed pressure to figure everything out, to get everything done. She was Rowan, the Goddess formerly known as Hel, Ruler of Helheim, Keeper of the dead, Queen of the Underworld. She was like _Game of Thrones_ ' Daenerys Targaryen with all her titles; Daenerys Stormborn, the First of Her Name, Khaleesi, Mother of Dragons, Breaker of Chains, Queen of Meereen. The only difference, Rowan didn't have as many titles as Daenerys.

Oh, and Rowan missed an entire season! Shit!

And there's the stress again.

Rowan opened the computer programs, staring at them in hopes of getting inspiration to figure out a way to compile personal data all in one easy to navigate program and to get her mind of _Game of Thrones_.

She could imagine the reapers bringing in souls and, just by looking at them, she'll know their name and their life story like she did when she was a little girl. She'll mark it in the program as well as which level they're to go. They'll be given a ticket, saying which level to go and their room will be there for them, with their name on the plaque. And if her Draugar and her want to look up a soul, just type it in and the information will be summoned to the screen.

It would be a lot of work, especially at first, and most of it would once again be on her shoulders, but eventually she'd figure out a way to share the responsibility with her Draugar. She had given them great power long ago, but having been tortured into demons changed that. Was it possible to turn them back?

Okay, stupid question, but the cure that the Winchesters had tried on Crowley would have made him human. Her Draugar weren't exactly human; they were souls still attached to their corpses so they could walk the earth with her. That had been their gift.

No matter, she could figure that out later as well. Maybe there was something she could give them regardless of their demonic essence. They would have to have the same ability as Rowan; see the soul, know its name and its life story so they could place it according to her criteria.

And the stress returned, maybe because it wasn't so easy working with others. Sure, the responsibilities are shared, but they don't know the thoughts in your head, the decisions you want to make.

Rowan brushed it off, taking a deep breath. She was over thinking it again.

"Are you alright, Milady?" Agmundr asked and when Rowan looked up at them, they were staring at her with concern.

"Rowan." She immediately corrected. Right now, she just wanted a bit of normalcy. "I'm just over thinking." She said and they tried not to exchange glances, which wasn't helping. "Creating the levels of Helheim isn't just draining me of power, but of my…" she added, dropping her sentence because she wasn't sure how to put it into words. How did she feel, exactly? A little unstable, like she's on uneven ground. Heck, like she isn't grounded at all. "My sanity." She concluded and that didn't help her Draugar to relax. They seemed nearly panicked with the news.

"Rowan, you're not going crazy." Bjarni said, stepped out from her corner of the office and kneeling beside Rowan with a soft expression. "You're right, building Helheim takes a lot out of you. Stick to one level at a time. Everything else can wait. Baby steps." She added, making Rowan smile.

"And feel free to sneak off to Crowley any time." Raganhar said, making her let out a little laugh of relief. "Take longer than fifteen minutes too." He added, making her laugh again. She looked at them, smiling, and they knew that she was alright. Bjarni seemed relieved and left her to work, as she saw computer programs up and running.

Rowan had stared at Bjarni for a few seconds more before looking back at her computer screen. Her Draugar definitely weren't acting like demons. If anything, she could have sworn that Bjarni's black essence was dissipating, like her demonic condition was slowly reversing.

How beautifully strange.


	40. Chapter 40

**Determination**

Rowan had played a couple of Solitaire games, thought of what she wanted for a computer program, awkwardly cut and bled into her computer, and envisioned a software that listed names, offered a search engine and that gave a detailed profile once a name was selected. The profile included important facts, family that may already be in Helheim (or Hell, you never know) and what level they should be in.

She could then have her Draugar take care of sending them to the appropriate level. She might need more staffing, but maybe three would be enough.

Her program was perfect, but she needed to rest her head a little on her desk. Every time she used her blood and her power, even if she took a little break, it was too much. It seemed she needed a deep sleep to reenergize. Like she had time for that!

When she opened her eyes after a little nap, there was a cup of tea next to her. Bjarni once again made her a cup of tea from Gadreel's penthouse. But this time, there was also a chocolate chip muffin.

As she lifted her head, she caught her Draugar glancing at her with little smirks on their faces, like finding their Lady of death asleep at her computer was too cute.

"Thanks Bjarni." Rowan said, immediately getting an offended gasp from Raganhar.

"I got the muffin." He said, but Rowan only smirked at him. When he remained offended, clicking away angrily at his computer, Rowan sighed, nearly rolling her eyes.

"Thank you, Raganhar." She said, getting a content smile out of him.

"I told you Bjarni was the favorite one." Agmundr said, which Raganhar ignored. He got gratitude from Rowan, which was all he wanted, nothing else.

"What did you get me, Agmundr?" Rowan asked and he looked a little baffled and then worried. He was trying to come up with an excuse, but Rowan couldn't torture him like that, trying not to smirk. "Just kidding." She added, but Raganhar snickered at him, like all joking aside, he really was the only one not getting Rowan anything.

"I'm the favorite." Bjarni whispered to the two others with a wicked grin on her face. They didn't seem thrilled, but remained silent. They worked on their computers, although Rowan had no idea exactly what they were doing. Downloading music? Streaming episodes of _The Walking Dead_?

Rowan missed that show too. Damn!

Rowan looked at her computer, at her software that was complete and ready for the souls. She was pretty proud of herself, an obvious sign that she was feeling better. She glanced at her iPad, trying to figure out how to put the software on the device.

"I can do that." Agmundr said, getting snickers out of the other two. He ignored them and helped Rowan connect the software from her computer to her iPad. She tried to keep up, but it was just confusing. She just waited for him to finish up while she ate her muffin. "I'll do the same to our iPads, if you want." He added and smiled as she nodded.

"Knock yourself out." she replied, drinking her tea. "Any word from Gadreel?" she asked and Bjarni shook her head.

"You were only snoozing for about half an hour or so." She replied and Rowan shrugged her shoulders. Hours or minutes; it was still lost time. Who ever heard of a Goddess who needed a nap after using her power? It was absolutely ridiculous. "And to let you know, your two days are almost up." Bjarni said, which made Rowan nearly cough on her cup of tea.

"What?" she asked, swallowing her tea, placing both the cup and her muffin on the desk. Bjarni gave a little nod with her eyes cast low.

"I wouldn't have said anything." Agmundr murmured, knowing that Rowan would be very stressed out with that detail.

"Time isn't the same down here as it is on earth." She said, but Rowan knew what wasted so much of her time.

Resting.

"Just what I need. Death to gloat that I was too eager and couldn't meet my own expectations." Rowan replied, rubbing her face, as if to smooth out the frustration.

"He won't do that." Agmundr said softly beside her. "And he'll be impressed with what you've done so far." He added, but Rowan wasn't so sure. Death didn't like her much. He seemed to regard her as a child who wasn't very intelligent. Not only that, but he had agreed with her that he has no business in her business; why would he care how hard she had worked on creating Helheim? He just wanted a place to put the souls that wasn't filled with clueless angels.

No, just a clueless Goddess.

Rowan could work her ass off to complete the last three levels of Helheim, but she would probably need a whole day to sleep, causing Death and his reapers to wait even longer. She could always tell Death to fuck off; he could give her a day of rest after all the hard work she put into Helheim alone.

Agmundr glanced at her, her iPad ready to go with her software, now in an easy-to-use application. She was deep in thought as her cup of tea was just an inch away from her lips.

"A penny for your thoughts." He said, snapping her out of it. She smiled at him and then looked at her other two friends.

"You two boys are going to install my program on everything and give it a test run. Bjarni, keep bringing me tea and muffins. I'm going to push to finish Helheim." She said, shocking them all.

"You can't. You have to rest in between. Who knows what'll happen if you don't rest." Bjarni protested, but Rowan refused to let it sway her mind. She got up, finishing her tea and her muffin, and giving Agmundr a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

"If I don't overcome my moments of stress, then what happens if the entrance to the Underworld is loaded with souls? What if we're backed up? I can't afford to rest with over a hundred souls waiting to be placed." She said with determination and her Draugar knew there was no deterring her from working nonstop.

"Not all those souls will enter Helheim. The way the world is going, I'd bet half of the souls in the entrance of the Underworld would go to Hell." Raganhar said, but that didn't convince her that what she was about to do was a bad idea.

"Be careful." Agmundr said softly which made Rowan smile. If the other two wanted to protest, they remained silent. They knew Rowan had made up her mind and they were in no position to force their opinions on her.

Rowan walked out of the office, determined to overpower the stress that washed over her when she was drained of energy. It was the stress that stopped her from building Helheim, the stress that invaded when she was weak. As she pushed the down arrow of the nearest elevator, it made her think of her years at University. All the hours spent studying, writing essays and drinking coffee because she only had two nights to write a fifteen page essay about a novel she was only given three days to read.

As she wrote that essay, weak from exhaustion, stress hit her like a hurricane and it nearly stopped her from working on a paper that could get her an _A+_. She ended up getting a _C_ because the stress won and her professor was a hard-ass.

That was nothing compared to this. And it was pointless. University didn't help her become Hel again; it was just Fate to be there to meet her brother and the Winchesters.

The elevator went down to the fifth level of Helheim. The doors opened and she stared at the pitch black staring right back at her. Rowan had thought of the fourth level as the one that would be the difference between the upper and lower parts of Helheim. The fifth level is where privileges wouldn't be accorded.

Rowan cut her palm with her earring once again, which was going to have to soak in rubbing alcohol for a while before going back into her ear. With the blood dripping, she extended her hand into the darkness, envisioning cement floors covered in tiles, like Crowley's never ending waiting line. There were archways, but no openings. It was replaced with a door. Another difference was no sky above, just a cavern ceiling with fog rising to the top, which looked nice.

It was the same format as the other levels, with elevators to the right and the ability to bring the room to the soul. Another difference was that their name would be on the door.

It wasn't a very welcoming level, but this is where the other side of that drawn line lies. As Rowan thought in the fourth level, the difference between not helping pick up their groceries and not helping someone who's getting the beating of their life, this is the latter. The fifth level would be for those that watched as others got hurt and did nothing.

Those that remained silent while someone screamed for help. Those that watched someone begging for help. Yes, she could argue that one could simply be afraid of helping and that was something she would take into consideration depending on the situation. But the fifth level would be known as _Blind_ , for the very reason that there's a difference between not helping someone with their things and thinking of themselves before jumping in to save someone from a horrible predicament.

Rowan had completed the fifth level, feeling a little drained, but not stressed. Instead, she was feeling a little discouraged just by thinking that there are some people who fear getting hurt, so they let someone else suffer. Besides the dark cloud that seemed to hang over her, she knew she was doing the right thing. Souls like that weren't bad enough to go to Hell, but not good enough to bask in the sunlight and enjoy the afterlife to its fullest in the upper levels.

She'd like to say that she doesn't judge, but she's not another human. She's a Goddess, the Goddess Hel of Helheim, which makes judging the dead her job.

Rowan was feeling a little tired, mostly because her resting period wasn't very long, but she couldn't and wouldn't stop. Not only was it a sense of wanting to conquer her stress, but a sense of justice that drove her to begin work on the sixth level of Helheim. Some of the souls had to understand that it's the little things in life that make a difference. Yes, there's evil in the world, but with little acts of kindness, it's the light that chases away the darkness. And in her Helheim, what you did in your life does matter.


	41. Chapter 41

**Breaking Point**

Rowan stared at the darkness of the sixth level, feeling a little excited that she was nearly finished building Helheim.

She bled again as she stepped into the darkness of the untouched cavern. She envisioned it to be like the fifth level and watched as things began to shape with her blood and power. It was actually easy now to do things like this. From coloring her nails to building the addition to the Underworld that would be hers to rule.

As easy as pie.

Despite the stress that began to wash over her again. Rowan refused to give it any thought and stayed focused on making the whole level shift so no one would have to get lost in her maze of rooms.

Yes, her lower levels were looking like the description of Heaven's little boxes for the souls, but the spaces were still as large as those upstairs. The only difference was no chance to continue a bucket list, no spending time with loved ones, no bright sunny sky above their heads as they enter. The last three levels are going to have to realize that they could have lived better lives and prove it to her in order to move up. Maybe the souls will find themselves in level four, named _Cold_ , seeing the chance to do good, but letting it fall to someone else. Maybe the souls will be upgraded to level three, named _Chance_ , those that want to do good and try. Heck, if they really turned themselves around, maybe level two, named _Heart_ , those that try no matter what or level one, named _Glory_ , those that are selfless.

It all depends on the situation and it'll be her decision.

As she turned from the sixth level, she decided to name it _Selfish_ , for the souls that put themselves before all others. An example could be those that not just ignore others, but hurt them. Then, the seventh level, named _Groundhog Day_ , would be for those that all they've ever done is harm others. They will be the ones that weren't bad enough for Hell, but that Rowan won't forget.

Then, the last three levels would be monitored by her Draugar and moved up if they earned it.

And with that thought, Rowan began working on the seventh level, feeling a little tired, but doing good at pushing away the stress. Yes, she should be dealing with it rather than pushing it, but when she tried to deal with it, she lost all strength.

And she needed her strength.

The seventh level was going to look the same, but it wouldn't look so nice. It would sort of look like Hell's corridors; dark and somewhat eerie.

As Rowan took a deep breath, getting ready to form the last level of Helheim, she suddenly felt a little light-headed. She heard another elevator open and she glanced over, seeing Bjarni stepping out of the elevator next to her with tea and a chocolate chip muffin. When she saw how weak Rowan was, she tried to hide her horror.

"Shit, I knew it." she mumbled under her breath, walking into the darkness, leaving the light of the elevator, and appearing next to Rowan. It was just that dark. "Eat, eat, eat." She said, handing the muffin to Rowan and when she took a couple of bites, highly suggested drinking the tea. Rowan smiled, appreciating the little break that also gained her a bit of energy.

"What did you know?" Rowan asked, catching Bjarni a little off guard.

"Oh, that I didn't get here fast enough." She replied, looking a little guilty. "You're courageous. I think you got more spunk over the years." she added with a little grin. As Rowan looked at her, she could no longer ignore that there was something changing.

"Bjarni, don't freak out, but there's something with your demonic essence." Rowan said, stunning her friend into a brief moment of silence. Then, her face illuminated with hope, especially her eyes.

"Do you mean I'm reverting back into my former self?" she asked and Rowan tried not to flinch as she spoke. She didn't want to crush the hope on Bjarni's face.

"I don't know. It's just the black isn't so… thick." She replied, believing that was the right word. However, Bjarni didn't know what that meant, as her expression of confusion had made clear. "Can I try something?" she asked and Bjarni nodded, looking a little hopeful again.

Rowan set down her cup or tea, on the floor of the dark cavern, next to the elevator, putting the muffin in the tea because it was better than putting in on the dirt floor. She pulled Bjarni into a friendly hug, resting her chin on her friend's shoulder and closing her eyes.

She could feel Bjarni's demonic essence stirring inside her teenage vessel. She could see Bjarni as her former self, but everything was all dark and twisted. The fierce young woman she once knew had been warped into a dark version of herself. However, it seemed the demonic condition was slowly reversing.

That was good news, but Rowan wanted to understand how it was happening. The only known cure was what the Winchesters were trying to do to Crowley. This was something entirely different. Bjarni's demonic essence was reverting back into her old human soul which wasn't attaching itself to the vessel. If anything, it was like gifting Bjarni to be an undead creature, known as a draugr, all over again.

How was that possible? What was Rowan doing to make Bjarni a human soul again?

As she kept her eyes closed, she focused on looking deeper into her warped darker current self. Was it possible to simply draw out the darkness? Or chase it away like she did the darkness of the undeveloped Helheim levels?

Rowan simply let her power take over, silencing the thoughts in her mind.

She was drawing the darkness closer to her, in the sense of withdrawing it from Bjarni's being and from her vessel. She could hear Bjarni gasp, as if the breath in her lungs was being sucked out. Rowan could feel the darkness being tugged away from Bjarni's being, but it was still deeply rooted.

Bjarni was slowly reverting to her human soul, but she was still a demon.

Rowan stopped, making Bjarni gasp for air, sucking in the oxygen as if desperate to refill her lungs.

"What… was… that?" Bjarni asked, speaking as she gulped in air. Rowan pulled away, stroking her friend's face to make sure she was alright.

"I'm sorry. Are you okay?" she asked, watching as Bjarni nodded her head, as stunned as she was. "You're slowly reverting back into a draugr, but you're still a demon. It's too deep, embedded in your being." She added, watching as Bjarni listened, letting it sink in.

"Well, it's still good news." She replied with a slight smile. Rowan nodded, but the disappointment made her heart feel heavy. Bjarni didn't want to be a demon and it seemed like it would take a long time to make that wish come true. "Are you feeling good to continue on your last level?" Bjarni asked with what sounded like faked enthusiasm. If that was true, she probably did it to make Rowan feel better.

"I'll finish my tea and muffin, first." She replied, picking it off the floor and consuming the rest in silence. Bjarni was silent too, for a brief moment.

"Thanks for giving me a check-up." She said with a smile, obviously trying to make Rowan feel better. Maybe she could see the disappointment that she had felt.

"Wish I had better news." Rowan replied, making Bjarni give her a slight smirk.

"I know you'll cure us." Bjarni said, looking and even sounding confident. That wasn't faked. Rowan didn't feel so confident. She'd first have to understand how demons are made.

When the tea and muffin were gone, Rowan worked on the last level. Bjarni watched silently by the elevators. Rowan dripped blood from her palm onto the floor, turning it to concrete, forming walls and corridors, rooms with plaques on the doors. Bjarni could see how tired she was, but how she was too determined to quit.

The floor shifted like a mirage, making it easier for the souls to get to their room. This level was looking like the corridors in Hell, which was what Rowan wanted, as Bjarni guessed. The ceiling was just the dark cavern, making everything look dark. There wasn't much light besides the elevators and the glow of those rooms behind those doors, that seemed to be the only thing illuminating the corridors.

As the final level was complete, Bjarni stood next to Rowan, placing a protective arm around her. She looked exhausted and there was a sort of distant look in her eyes. Was she feeling the stress again?

"We're going back up, now." Bjarni said, guiding Rowan to the elevator.

"Once the souls enter Helheim, I won't feel tired ever again." Rowan said, nearly in a mumble, still with that distant look in her eyes. "I will be strong. I will conquer Metatron. I will find a way to resurrect my family and they shall join me in Helheim." Rowan added as Bjarni pressed the up arrow, slowly turning to look at her with an arched eyebrow. Did Rowan just say she was going to resurrect her family? As in her parents and her brother, Jormungand?

Where had this come from?

Bjarni guided Rowan into the elevator, watching the dial go from seven up to the zero which was the main floor. She repeated Rowan's words in her head, surprised that the Lady of Helheim had kept that thought to herself. Bjarni could only guess that it was something she wanted to do after taking down Metatron and taking in all the souls.

"Are you feeling stressed?" Bjarni asked Rowan as the elevator doors opened. She glanced at her, meeting her distant eyes, seeing this eerie glimmer in Rowan's eyes.

"I'm too tired to feel stressed." She replied with calmness. Bjarni was about to step off the elevator with Rowan, when she was fiercely pinned against the panel of the elevator, staring into the eerily dark eyes of Rowan. This was something Bjarni had never seen, not even before when Rowan had been Hel, before Lucifer took over Helheim.

This was a much darker side that had never surfaced.

"Rowan." Bjarni tried to say, but the breath was pulled from her lungs along with her essence. It was like a repeat of what had happened in the seventh level, but this time Rowan wasn't stopping. She was taking in Bjarni's demonic essence into her mouth, consuming her.

Agmundr and Raganhar stepped in, trying to pull Rowan off of Bjarni. It took both their strengths to pull her away, but still she was trying to consume Bjarni's essence.

"Rowan, you're killing her." Agmundr said, trying to snap her out of it. Bjarni's essence was nearly out of her vessel, into Rowan's mouth where her eyes had turned completely black. There were no smoky gray pupils.

At that moment, Raganhar released his grip on Rowan, his demonic essence leaving his body and entered Rowan's mouth. She began choking and Agmundr watched as Raganhar came back out along with Bjarni's essence. In a matter of seconds, both of them were back in their vessels, staring with horror at a much weakened Rowan who had gone limp in Agmundr's arms.

They exchanged glances, wondering why Rowan had tried to feed on Bjarni's demonic being.

"Let's get her in Gadreel's bedroom." Bjarni said, trembling as she tried to stand straight. No doubt she was frightened of what had happened. "I'm getting Crowley." she added and they exited the elevator, going off in separate directions.

Agmundr and Raganhar brought her into Gadreel's penthouse and tenderly placed her on his bed with the blanket left atop. They covered her up, made sure the pillow was positioned right under her head and simply stared at her with bewilderment.

"What happened?" Agmundr asked, not tearing his gaze off of her. She seemed relaxed and peaceful now.

"I don't think she was aware of what she was doing." Raganhar said, staring at her, trying to understand why she'd attempted to eat their comrade. "She pushed herself to her breaking point and no amount of muffins could give her the energy she craved." He concluded, meeting Agmundr's nervous eyes. "She needed the closest thing to pure energy: a soul." He added nearly in a murmur as the thought troubled them.


	42. Chapter 42

**Three is a Crowd**

Bjarni walked into this cavern down a long pathway, where there was the foundation of a house started, surrounded by holes, like he was planning on putting in some ponds. She had no idea what he was doing and she wasn't about to ask. He wouldn't tell her anyway.

She saw Crowley painting sigils with his blood on the cavern walls and he no doubt noticed her presence, but didn't care. Typical Crowley.

"Crowley, a word?" she asked and, without turning his back, replied in his usual snarky manner. Also typical Crowley.

"Blasé. An adjective used when unconcerned, unimpressed by something because of having experienced it before." He replied and as she approached, fought the urge to sigh with agitation. "Such as demons thinking they deserve a second of my time." he added, still keeping his back to her.

Bjarni rolled her eyes in response, deciding to play along to his little game.

"More like _aloof_ , unwilling to become involved with other people, until you realize that I'm here for Rowan." Bjarni said and when he finally decided she was worth a second of his time, turned and frowned as he stared at her. She ignored whatever could possibly be going through his mind and stood at a good distance, crossing her arms over her chest. "Rowan worked herself to exhaustion and then tried to eat me." she said and Crowley's lips twitched into a small grin. Of course he'd like to hear that. But he had no idea how terrifying it was to have someone you respect so much try to devour you like a chocolate milkshake. "It's not funny. Her eyes turned black, like a demon. Never had I seen her do that." She said and he just stared at her, his eyes narrowed, as if he was thinking.

"And you'd know." He replied, as if put off that she made it sound like she knew Rowan far longer than he did. Well, it so happened to be true.

"I'm Bjarni, Hel's draugr, guard and servant. Even as a demon, I'm forever loyal to Rowan. So yes, Crowley, I'd know. What I don't know is what happened to her. She just tried to eat me." she said and Crowley approached, looking deep into her eyes. It unnerved her, so she stepped back and he frowned at her, as if to say he had no interest in her in _that_ way.

"How do you feel?" he asked her and the question puzzled her.

"Peachy, considering Rowan sucked me in and then spit me out." Bjarni said, letting out the fact that Raganhar got Rowan to spit her out. That wasn't a pleasant experience. Then, it dawned on her why he was asking that question. "If you mean about me slowly becoming human, I know. Rowan didn't understand how." Bjarni added and he continued to stare at her with this glimmer of curiosity. "Are you going to check on Rowan or do I get to tell her that my second of your time was up?" She concluded, getting that usual expression he gave to demons that annoyed him.

She followed him silently out of Hell and watched as he looked at the escalator Rowan had built. It only worked when someone was going down. He grinned as the images sculpted into the walls by the escalator and then looked around at the entrance of the Underworld. It was pretty bare, but he seemed impressed with everything Rowan had done.

Bjarni gestured to the other escalator and he continued to look with a grin, especially at the lobby where a design of herself and her brothers stared at him from the center of the floor. No doubt he was impressed with Rowan's work.

Bjarni walked ahead of him, opening Gadreel's penthouse for him.

"She's in the room to the left, resting." Bjarni said and watched as Crowley walked in, Agmundr and Raganhar walking out. "How is she?" she asked her two comrades.

"Out cold." Raganhar replied. "You?" he asked with a bit of concern which made her grin.

"Fine. Thanks for saving my ass." She said and he smiled at her.

"We should continue working on those iPads." Agmundr said, looking at Bjarni and Raganhar with what could have been considered jealousy in his eyes. Bjarni grinned at him and led the way to the office.

In that modern styled bedroom, Rowan laid so still, looking beautiful as always. Crowley sat on the edge of the bed, stroking her cheek as she slept peacefully. Just by looking down at her, he could see she was beyond exhausted. It was no wonder she tried to eat her servant; she needed raw energy and that could only be found in a soul. Rowan's servant, whose demon essence was slowly turning back into a human soul, was the best source of raw energy that Rowan could devour.

Crowley was astonished by everything she had accomplished. While he was building her dream house, she built all of Helheim. She was impressing on so many levels, Crowley thought with a slight grin.

He was also impressed with how she tried to eat Bjarni. He couldn't get over it. If she could consume a demon soul, no doubt feeding on its power and being able to use it, than she was so much stronger than he anticipated. Naturally, killing Abaddon proved her strength, but now attempting to eat her servant? The only creatures Crowley knew that could eat souls were the Leviathans and, last he checked, Rowan wasn't one of God's first beasts.

Unless she got that little trick from her mother's side of the family because that certainly didn't come from her father. Very little is known of her mother.

As Crowley pushed her hair over her shoulder, out of her neck, he knew she was in a deep sleep, probably dreaming. There was no waking her, not that he wanted to try. Rowan needed rest, since she couldn't eat any souls. Too bad he couldn't see what would have happened if she had eaten a demonic being, regardless of it slowly reverting back to a human soul. Would she have unleashed some sort of darkness?

He was certain that, underneath that beautiful surface, were layers of power, and the very bottom which was her core was darkness; so sure that it intrigued him. She was such a divine creature who never ceased to amaze him. She went from this odd little thing, flirting with him, to this ostentatious Goddess (unintended of course), sleeping with him (completely intended). How lucky he considered himself to be.

At that moment, someone walked in and stopped. Crowley looked up into the eyes on what he knew too well to be an angel. Obviously, that had to be Gadreel.

"Crowley." the angel said in his raspy voice. He chose a handsome vessel. No doubt Gadreel was one of the reasons why Rowan came to see him in Hell for a little distraction. It was obvious that she wanted him above all others. Naturally.

"Gadreel." Crowley said, standing up, looking and sounding like the authoritative King of Hell, letting the angel know who was boss. Or, in this case, who was Rowan's lover. And Rowan said he wasn't jealous. Well, he wasn't because that would suggest he had insecurities in regards to Gadreel. That was ridiculously hilarious.

"How is she?" Gadreel asked, glancing at her with concern in his eyes. Crowley could tell that he already bonded with Rowan. Everyone around her just seemed to love her so much that it was easy to give her their loyalty. Interesting.

"Fatigued would be an understatement." He replied, maintaining his stare on the angel. "I hear you're looking for a way back into Heaven." He said, getting Gadreel's attention. He didn't want to talk about Rowan with him. "Metatron has both tablets." He added and watched the suspicion form in the angel's eyes. Oh, that was just too cute.

"Yes." Gadreel replied, the suspicion burning in his eyes now. "With Rowan's help, we'll find a way to break his hold on Heaven." He added and Crowley nodded. Even when Gadreel didn't trust him, he gave Crowley information. The angels don't come brighter than that. Pretty soon, he'd have this angel eating out of his palm. No wonder Rowan kept him around, but knowing her sweet little heart, she genuinely wanted to work with this disregarded angel.

"Fascinating." He replied, which Gadreel didn't quite buy. He knew that the wayward demon King of Hell was interested in the Demon tablet. Perhaps being tortured and locked away made Gadreel smarter. Or he was seriously holding a grudge against demons due to Lucifer.

They simply stared at each other, neither moving. Bjarni walked into the room, looking at them and sighing.

"I say this respectfully: get out and let Rowan rest." She said, gesturing for both to leave the room. Crowley narrowed his eyes at her, but she stood her ground until he left and she closed the bedroom door behind her. "Gadreel, I washed your cup and placed it back in the cupboard." She said with a bit of softness in her voice. He nodded and sat down on the sofa, not sure what else to do in the fabulous place Rowan obviously made for him.

"So, Rowan built this for you?" Crowley asked, looking around the penthouse. No offense to Rowan, but it was wasted on Gadreel.

"Yes." Gadreel replied, staring at Crowley with a little bit of pride in his eyes, mostly because of the fact that Rowan made him a penthouse which meant that she valued his presence in Helheim. And he was very proud of that.

"And you'll do what, exactly, around here?" Crowley asked and Gadreel frowned, not really appreciating getting interrogated by Rowan's boyfriend.

"I'll oversee the first level of Helheim." He replied, letting it show in his tone of voice that he wasn't impressed and he was still very suspicious.

"Only the first level." Crowley said and grinned as Gadreel narrowed his eyes at him.

"The most important." Gadreel replied with conviction, getting back to his pride that Rowan was thrilled to have him in her part of the Underworld. He was clearly offended by Crowley.

"I'm sure it is." Crowley replied, teasing Gadreel.

"Do I have to stay and play referee?" Bjarni asked, glancing at the both of them.

"No. Thank you." Gadreel said and she looked at Crowley one last time, as if she didn't trust him, and left the penthouse, going to the office next door.

"Find a way into Heaven yet?" Crowley asked and received a frown from Gadreel. His silence was his response. It was evident that he wasn't going to tell the King of Hell. What a shame.

They sat in a bored silence, until Crowley had enough and turned on the television for some noise. Gadreel said nothing, as if grateful for something to fill the awkward silence as Crowley had invited himself into his apartment.


	43. Chapter 43

**Past Lives**

There were so many memories that Rowan couldn't seem to go through them all. It was times like this that some of those memories resurfaced, as she drifted into a deep sleep where dreams were summoned to take over while the conscious mind took a break.

All she had remembered so far were her memories of her foster homes. These dreams were along the same theme, threatened by others and her power unleashed itself to protect her. However, this time, she was about to learn more about the times she unleashed Hel unknowingly in order to keep safe.

Her dream seemed to skip down a chronologic sequence of her life throughout the centuries.

The first one, she was a young girl wearing an old plain dress and a bonnet, cultivating a large garden, despite the cold wind, behind the small wooden hut that was her place. It seemed like an ancient civilization, perhaps ancient Iceland. Her father was dead and her mother was sick. It seemed that after her real father, Gabriel, took her out of Helheim and took her memory, she started life as a child, growing up again in a strange world.

And she had no idea about anything.

Back then, because she was old enough for marriage, which by today's standards would be taboo, the men living around offered to marry her and take care of her mother. Those men were three times her age if not more. And they were definitely Vikings. They weren't going to take no for an answer. They were just looking to marry off all the women because an unmarried woman was a waste of human reproduction.

Naturally, she had refused them all. It was pretty brave, but everyone else thought she was stupid. Countless times men had tried to rape her as a result to her stubbornness. There was no one there for her, especially not her mother who was slowly dying.

The first time, the man was old enough to be her father. He was a married man with nine children and she was so terrified. She felt a surge of power and, without thinking twice, gave into it. Well, that unleashed the darkness. The man was staring down at a shimmering half-dead corpse whose eyes were a frightening reflection of death. Out of fear, he jumped off of her and ran, telling everyone what he saw.

That night was his last, as he suffered a horrible illness that crippled him until he was brain dead.

Since that moment, the darkness took over whenever someone wanted to take advantage of her. She ended up scaring them all away where they eventually died of some mysterious illness. That's when tales of this half dead thing spread. Perhaps one of her Draugar had walked among the Vikings and called her Hel, encouraging the stories. Maybe that's how she became part of Norse Mythology.

The images blurred in her dream, as if to say they were all the same and the lives of those people didn't matter more than the life of a cockroach.

Then, with the deaths of those men as well as jealousy and suspicion forming faster than the plague, the villagers ended up chasing her out of her home, calling her the evil spirit, Hel. Her mother ended up dying alone. Rowan was so angry.

Oddly, the village ended up burning down to the ground, all of those people died.

Rowan had lived her life on the run, doing what she could to survive. Still, men tried to rape her. There must have been thousands and if it hadn't been for Hel unleashing her wrath, her little body would have been so badly scarred and damaged that she would have died before reaching twenty. It seemed that a woman was only good for sex and, since she refused to get married and give it willingly, the men had to take it from her. Well, they learnt that they couldn't take it from her and paid a fatal price for trying.

Hel had killed more men than the plague; disgusting how the men disregarded her value as a person.

Her dream faded and reappeared in a type of Salem memory; a small religious town that tried to conceal its demons because money allowed them. There were witch accusations flying around because strange things had occurred. It was all lies, stupid children making up lies and watching as everyone began to get paranoid. It was all fun and games, until they learnt they could get what they wanted. However, when the finger was pointed right in her face all due to these girls that started a rumor, Rowan was believed to have been sleeping with a married man. But that wasn't the worst part. The rumor was also that she was planning on killing the guy's wife with dark spells.

Trouble followed her no matter what period of time or country.

Her religious father was outraged and beat her, only to then suffer from a heart attack. When he died shortly after, she was accused of being a witch and her mother was no help. She claimed her own daughter was the devil.

The townspeople were putting her on trial and those same girls began convulsing on the floor. Their acting was shit, but the entire town believed them and found Rowan guilty; to be burned at the stake. She didn't even have the chance to defend herself.

The night where she was suppose to burn, it was the girls who burned instead, in the crowd as they ironically cursed her. She laughed wickedly, asking the dying girls to fake that. Rowan had the entire village scared out of their minds. Of course, that really confirmed that she was the devil, although she didn't know what they were talking about. She didn't remember anything. Naturally, saying that didn't help either; the devil had possessed her and she was a tainted vessel of the Lord that can only be purified by fire.

They tried to kill her and the result was a town filled with corpses in her wake, a strange and poisonous mist that suffocated them.

Of course, she didn't remember any of that. Just like the sonority party and the conversation she had with Jormungand about a week ago; any time Hel surfaced, Rowan forgot all about it. Now that her amnesia was gone, she remembered everything and realized how many people she had harmed and killed. All the soldiers that died in the World Wars came pretty close.

The next one was a Victorian era memory. Rowan wanted to write novels of mysterious things, inspired by the supernatural and fantastical literature of the 18th and 19th Centuries, and she lived independently. It was still the same bullshit; she was a woman and she had to be married. Every man that proposed wanted her to leave her foolish ideas of writing and live in their house, cooking and cleaning for them, having their children. The worst was to simply hang on their arm at social events, laughing at his stupid jokes and just looking pretty.

There was no way she was doing that.

She was walking down the street after trying to publish a story under a male name, sadly because it was a Man's World and no one would publish an unmarried woman, and she got attacked. A man dragged her down the alley, still with that stupid idea of rape, and when he tried to pin her on the dirty ground, she punched him in the throat, and he found himself pinned to the ground, angry glowing eyes staring down at him.

The man was found dead in that same spot and then Rowan went from crazy woman to evil woman who everyone eyed with fear because the police couldn't find evidence that it was her who killed him. An eyewitness, meaning a nosey neighbor, saw her walking away as the man suffered in a very mysterious way.

Her novels certainly didn't get published after that.

There were so many more memories that flooded her, but it was all the same; refusing to be what others wanted her to be, men attempting to rape and murder her, her walking away from their beaten or dead bodies without remembering a thing. That had been the only constant theme in her life. Rowan had come to realize three things; that she had lived like the Phoenix, born-live-die-reborn, that she was so dark with her amnesia she was like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and that she never once got married or had children.

Not only did her father take away her memories, but he had done something where she could live like a human, while staying eternal, living all over the world. Why hadn't he done that for Jormungand? Unless nothing is eternal. Maybe even the Goddess Hel could die.

And then there's the split personality thing. It seemed that because she no longer remembered she had been the Goddess Hel, daughter of Loki, that there had been some unleashed darkness that came out of nowhere.

No, not nowhere.

Through her dreams, Rowan realized that she always had a dark side, but it was stuffed deep inside, never having a reason to pop out. It was like the darkness was her subconscious mind. Had her father, Gabriel, known what would happen to his daughter? By taking her out of Helheim, taking her memory and letting her to live again and again all those years, that there'd be an insatiable darkness? Or did he also put that there so she would protect herself?

And her dream twisted into her memory of trying to consume Bjarni's demonic essence that was slowly turning human again. She felt the sinister power of a demon and the darkness within her, forced to the surface due to exhaustion, wanted to feed on that sinister power.

What worried her was that the darkness probably wouldn't have stopped, realizing that Bjarni was slowly reverting to human. That dark side only cared about Rowan.

No, that darkness had always existed within her and there was nothing wrong with it. Rowan would just have to stay rested until Helheim got souls to inhabit its seven levels. Those souls would give her power and she wouldn't be tired again. The best fact was that she wouldn't have to eat any souls to gain strength.

Then, it's no wonder Crowley liked her so much. He probably sensed that darkness in her. Was she angry with him? No. She expected him to be cunning and he'd never do anything to betray her; no words were ever used, but she knew they loved each other. And Crowley was right; they were beneficial to each other, a perfect match.

Rowan's dreams and thoughts were interrupted, the images shifted to that old room where she had first met Death. She turned, glancing at those chairs with the little table in between. Sure enough, Death was once again in that chair, reading a book, looking at her as if _she_ had interrupted _him_. Rowan crossed her arms over her chest, not pleased that he'd pull her away from her dreams to that shitty little room.

"I said I'd check in after two days." He said, looking at her with those dark piercing eyes, although he seemed pretty calm. "I'm amazed you managed to meet your self-imposed deadline." He added and she frowned at him.

"You didn't have much faith in my resolve." Rowan replied and his expression didn't change, not that she expected it. "You want to send the souls over, do it when I'm awake." She added, remaining on her feet, ready to go.

"And Heaven?" Death asked. Rowan turned to glare at him, her eyes dark with frustration.

"Why don't you take care of that? Why is it all on my shoulders?" she asked, her aura of power glowing, but that darkness also rising into her eyes. If Death was a little worried that he had pissed her off, he didn't show it.

"You're part angel. Heaven is out of my jurisdiction." He replied and a spark of anger flared in her eyes.

"So, I'm just so convenient." She said and he raised a hand as if to say he chose his words poorly.

"Your father passed down his right to Heaven onto you. I do not have that right." He said and looked at her as she seemed to be calming down. It appeared he might have been a little worried with her show of rage. "We can have the souls ready at your earliest convenience." He concluded and she relaxed.

"Thank you." She replied and fell back into her dreams. He hadn't released her from that room; she simply found that she had some control in that. If she didn't want to be there, she simply had to will herself to be back in her dreams.

Rowan returned to viewing her memories of the lives she had lived. She wanted to remember them all as well as give herself more time to rest. The world could wait. She was done playing by its rules.


	44. Chapter 44

**Sweet Paradise**

Crowley couldn't take watching television with Gadreel anymore. It had been a whole day if not more. Rowan was still in a deep slumber, recuperating after spending all her power on finishing Helheim. He wanted to be there when she woke up, but he also knew he couldn't be away from Hell for too long. And, not to forget, the house he was building Rowan wasn't anywhere near finished.

Rowan's Draugar walked into Gadreel's penthouse with iPads.

"She's still asleep?" Bjarni asked and Gadreel nodded. "Well, we got her program up and running on these iPads. She'll have profiles of all the souls and we figured you should have one." She added, handing one to Gadreel and quickly showing him how it worked.

"And there's one for you too." Agmundr said to Crowley, handing an iPad. He took it and looked at it with curiosity. There was an app clearly named _Underworld Sorting_ with a little image of a skull, the background half black and half white. "We don't suppose Rowan had a chance to discuss with you who sorts the souls destined for Hell." He added and Crowley looked up at him with a difficult to read expression.

"No." he simply replied. "I imagine she's figured out a way to sort the souls." He added, remembering how she was a little stressed about that. He did want to help her out with that, but she had been so busy, not that he blamed her.

"Yes. She became more confident after seeing you." Raganhar said which sort of surprised Crowley. That sounded like a compliment, too nice to come from demons. As Crowley continued to stare at him, Raganhar stepped away, feeling unsettled.

"We hope Death's reapers can be helpful in compiling the profiles of the souls or it's going to be Rowan's responsibility." Agmundr said and Crowley lifted his eyes up to the demon, not really interested in anything he said, except for the fact that everything was on Rowan's back once again.

"And what will you be doing?" Crowley asked him, maintaining that difficult expression as Agmundr frowned in response.

"What Rowan asks of me." he replied with fervor. They stared at each other until the Agmundr stood closer to Raganhar, as if he agreed that they needed to put more space between themselves and Crowley.

He looked at the app that Rowan had created, impressed with all the work she had put into the Underworld. He didn't have her ability to judge, but the idea of all responsibilities being on her shoulders agitated him. If she was going to sort the souls in the entrance of the Underworld alone, than he'd be there to help, sorting out those that belong to Hell.

After all, they were partners.

At that moment, they heard a door creak open and as they all looked at Gadreel's bedroom, they were silent, but glad, to see Rowan emerging, walking out quietly, and leaving the door open. She still seemed tired, but definitely reenergized.

Crowley got up and walked over to her where she extended her hands, welcoming his embrace. He wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her tightly against him as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"How are you feeling, Love?" he spoke softly into her ear, nearly in a whisper.

"I think I overslept." She replied with a slight laugh, but as she relaxed her chin on his shoulder, he knew she was still tired. Her entire body just relaxed against him, as if asking to sleep in his embrace.

"Come to the sofa." He said, guiding her to the sofa, still with an arm wrapped around her waist. Gadreel got up, surrendering it to her, looking a little worried. Crowley sat on the sofa with Rowan, who remained relaxed against him, closing her eyes, resting her head on his shoulder. She had her hand on his chest, but as it began to slip down, he held her hand, bringing it to his lips. It appeared as if Rowan had fallen asleep in his embrace.

Her Draugar and Gadreel watched with curiosity and when Crowley narrowed his eyes at them, only Bjarni had the courage to ask.

"Is she sleeping?" she asked and Crowley's expression remained the same. She frowned at him, not appreciating how he acted like he was the only one allowed to care for her. "Hey, just asking. No one here is going to deprive her of sleep." She said and relaxed her facial expression. "It's sweet she wants to curl up with you, although none of us can really fathom why." she added with a little grin that made Crowley arch an eyebrow in response. They all knew that Rowan had affections for Crowley and they weren't going to argue. "We'll leave you two to cuddle." She concluded, gesturing for the others to follow her lead.

Once Rowan's Draugar and Gadreel left the apartment, Crowley was quite glad that he stayed; it was just the two of them on the sofa. And yes, quite sweet that Rowan got up, searching for his loving touch, and fell asleep next to him in a second. Crowley placed a tender kiss on her head and looked at the television screen, watching some stupid cooking show on how to create the ultimate sexy meal.

Not particularly useful, since all Rowan wanted to devour was him and, apparently, some souls.

"We're alone?" Rowan asked in a soft voice. Crowley grinned as he continued to look at the television.

"We are, Chickadee." He replied, glancing down at her with his grin. She remained relaxed with her head on his shoulder. She wasn't sleeping, simply curled up with the only one she wanted. "You could have told them you wanted a moment alone with me." he said and heard a slight soft laugh in response.

"I don't want to worry them. I know they'll let me rest for as long as I want, but they know how badly I want to work on getting the souls, sorting them out, finding a way to open Heaven, getting the souls, sorting them out." Rowan replied, shifting her head so she could look into his dark glimmering eyes. "I must have looked like a frazzled twit." She said and he gave her a slight frown and a little smirk. She could guess that he would deny it, but his expression said that she indeed looked as stressed as she had felt.

"A stunning Goddess looking for a handsome devil to relieve her gorgeous body of stressful tension." He replied and she grinned, inching closer so their lips brushed teasingly in a light kiss.

"And relieve my tension you did." She replied, kissing him softly, but it soon kicked into hyper drive, as Rowan straddled him, her hands going to his neck, stroking his hair as she twisted in his arms, getting the most of their kiss. His hands traveled down her waist to her hips, following the curve of her body, then muscles in her thighs, the firmness of her ass.

Rowan pulled away from Crowley, looking into his eyes as she stroked his cheek, a smile on her lips.

"You should have seen my dreams." She said and his grin revealed curiosity to hear all about them. "All the years I lived, all the people I killed; I have such a darkness deep down, you know?" she said, a dark glimmer shimmering in her eyes as she mentioned it. As Crowley looked into her eyes, he could see that she felt no shame.

"I noticed." He replied and her lips broadened.

"I can't tell you how often men had tried to rape me. It's disgusting." She said and Crowley's grin fell away, stroking the hair over her shoulder.

"The bastards." He said and as he looked into her eyes, there was a sinister grin on her face.

"They all died so horribly." She said and looked down at his lips as her hands slid under his tie, loosening it so she could undo the collar of his shirt and run her fingers along his collarbone. Her smile faded and he tilted his head, catching her attention. Her eyes seemed filled with confliction. "You think I can control this darkness?" she asked him and he stroked her cheek tenderly.

"You always have." He replied, lifting up her chin so she wouldn't look so guilty. Her lips twitched into a small smile.

"I tried to eat Bjarni." She said and he gave her a little grin as his thumb gently rubbed her soft lips.

"You were beyond exhausted, Love. You spent all of your power on building Helheim and you needed to recharge." He said and placed his hand behind her head, bringing her forward into a kiss that said he didn't want to talk about it anymore. He liked everything about her and he wanted her to know it. As she returned the kiss, not only did she acknowledge that; she felt the same way about him.

Their lips parted and they stared into each others' eyes. Rowan smiled and seemed really happy.

"It bothers me how easily I tried to eat her." she said, obviously too bothered to let the subject go.

"The only creatures I know to do that are Leviathans." Crowley replied, hoping to eventually put that subject to bed. She seemed confused by the term, like she had never heard of those creatures. "Last I checked Darling, you're not one of those. Ugly things." He added and she smiled, but she was still worried. Too worried to care that she didn't know what Leviathans were.

"How's our house coming along?" she asked him with excitement in her voice, like she too wanted to drop the subject. Maybe talking about Leviathans was where she drew the line.

Crowley didn't want to burst her bubble, but there was no way to avoid it.

"Slowly." He replied and she continued to smile.

"Well, I guess I'll have to stop distracting you." She said with a little grin. He stared at her with a slight grin, as though her visits weren't the problem. She tilted her head at him with a little smile. "As long as we're together, we're in paradise." She said, obviously sensing what troubled him. Although it was her dream home and she had this glow on her face when she imagined it, Crowley could see that same glow as she stared into his eyes. She was sincere when she said home would be wherever they are together.

He knew he cared about her because having Sam's blood running through his veins in that stupid attempt to cure the demon out of him was what drove his desire for love. He never admitted it to himself since he told Sam that he deserved to be love, but now, with Rowan on his lap and her kiss still lingering on his, he was admitting it now; he wanted to be loved and he was certain that she did. What was her reason to love him? She didn't have invasive blood threatening to chase away her darkness and bring out the humanity into her heart. Why did she love him?

Sadly, he had a feeling that he'd never know. She came close to thinking it, but there was a hesitation. Is it because she didn't want to say it or because she thought he didn't want to hear it?

Crowley wasn't even sure if he wanted to hear it. Maybe he did or maybe he wanted to get rid of those human feelings, but that would mean getting rid of Rowan. He'd never get rid of Rowan.

He stroked her cheek, giving her a slight smile.

"When this business with Heaven is done, you and I are taking a long deserved vacation." He said and then her smile faded as there was this odd expression in her eyes. He narrowed his eyes and she gave him an awkward grin.

"Well, I was actually going to try to get my family back." she replied which surprised Crowley. "My father, my mother and my brother. There has to be a way. You must know a way." She said and when he arched his eyebrow at her, he couldn't help but wonder if that's why she "loved" him; because he was beneficial to her. Yes, he had told her that, and it was true, but was she merely using him?

Crowley put it out of his mind and focused on what she was saying.

"There's no way to resurrect your parents." He bluntly said which sort of burst her bubble. "Angels, like demons, simply cease to exist once they're killed, as if they never existed. Your mother, I have no idea, and your brother, if I'm not incorrect, might be in Purgatory." He added and he watched as the hope faded, but returned with the mention that she might be able to get her brother back. "I highly suggest you not open Purgatory. It's exactly like Pandora's Box, only there's nothing good coming out of it." Crowley said and when she seemed confused, he knew he'd have to explain something that he'd rather not talk about.

"How do you open Purgatory?" she asked and he gave her a sinister grin.

"Can't say." He simply replied. "The last time Purgatory was opened, horrid creatures were unleashed, known as Leviathans; God's first beasts that eat everything, even demons." He added, finding themselves back on that topic. It seemed Rowan understood more now. "Their only desire is destruction. There are still some Leviathans in Purgatory and opening its doors runs the risk of releasing other monsters." Crowley added with seriousness.

"So my brother deserves to stay in Purgatory?" Rowan asked, losing all softness and happiness in her face.

"I said he _might_ be in Purgatory." He replied which didn't make her very happy to hear. "Opening the doors of that place with barely a hunch would be unwise." Crowley concluded and Rowan really didn't seem happy.

He was starting to think that maybe her affections for him were simply a way to get what she wanted. Did he hate her for that? No, he didn't hate anyone. Did he feel a little twinge of hurt? Maybe. Or maybe that was just his bruised ego, feeling foolish for loving someone that might not love him in return.

The story of his life.

"If you're strongly considering opening Purgatory and going in to find your brother, which I don't recommend, than I suggest you talk to Dean." he said, getting her attention and a slight frown of confusion. "He was in there, fighting off monsters. It's worst than Hell." He added, certain that would deter her from this idea.

Rowan was silent for a minute or so and he knew their romantic moment was over.

There wouldn't be a long deserved vacation.


	45. Chapter 45

**Grand Opening**

Rowan walked into the office after giving Crowley a small _see you later_ kiss on the lips. Gadreel immediately stood at attention when she walked in, eager to tell her the good news. However, they all had something to tell Rowan.

"Alright, Gadreel; what do you have?" she asked, standing by her desk, next to him.

"Castiel and I have found a passage into Heaven." He replied which made Rowan smile, despite the surge of stress that threatened to run through her body. Death's reapers would bring the trapped souls to the Underworld and everyone knows that about 151,600 people die each day, 6,316 each hour. That meant that Rowan probably wouldn't be able to work on opening Heaven just yet. She was going to be swamped with souls and they'd probably replace those she just sorted; making it a never-ending task.

"Rowan?" Gadreel asked, narrowing his eyes in concern as she apparently didn't hear anything he said after announcing that he found a way into Heaven.

"Sorry. What did you say?" she asked and he repeated, still with some concern in his eyes.

"It's at a child's playground, in a sandbox. I know Metatron wouldn't have left it if he didn't want a challenge." He said and she nodded, meaning that Metatron was hoping for someone to try to stop him.

"Okay." Rowan said, giving Gadreel a slight tap on his shoulder. "But the souls will be arriving soon. I can't say we'll get them sorted out quickly and you, Gadreel, won't be able to work in Glory right away." She added and he nodded, knowing full well what she expected of him. He was willing to help her no matter what. "Okay. Let's get started." She concluded, wondering about her Draugar; they would have to supervise the upper levels, making sure the souls have what they need. They would also have to make sure the souls in the lower levels got into their rooms and aren't leaving, not that it was possible.

She was going to need more helpers.

Rowan exhaled and walked out of the office, getting ready to welcome the souls. Gadreel and her Draugar followed her out to the entrance of the Underworld. As she stepped in, she saw Crowley sitting in one of the chairs in the center of the first row, with an iPad, one leg crossed over the other, waiting patiently. She smiled and it even seemed as if the stress was gone.

"I thought you'd be busy with construction." She said and he casually lifted his eyes up to her with a slight smile that was heavy with seduction.

"We're partners, Darling." He simply replied, but she looked like a lovestruck teenager. Her cheeks were blushed and her eyes sparkled. Crowley stood up, closed the distance between them, placed his hand in the small of her back and gave her a tender kiss on the lips.

"I'm going to have to take you up on that vacation offer." She said with a smile, looking into his eyes, forgetting that they weren't alone or had souls to welcome.

"Shall we postpone this?" Bjarni asked, getting a warning glare from both Rowan and Crowley. However, she wasn't feeling threatened; Rowan just tried to eat her and obviously regretted it. The worst that could ever happen just did.

"I need to put up some last touches." Rowan said, flicking her fingers and having some inspirational posters up on the walls, such as _What doesn't kill you makes you stronger_ and _Death is a part of life; it's just a lot less scary and painful than the rest of it_.Then Rowan also had to throw up some posters meant to make some of the souls laugh, although they had to be in a pretty damn good mood to laugh at jokes like _Always go to other people's funerals; otherwise, they won't come to yours_ and _Give me immortality or give me death_.

That last one had Rowan's Draugar pondering over it, as it seemed like a conundrum.

Then, of course, she did put up the _If you can read this, you're dead._

Crowley gave her a slight grin at her posters, but then narrowed his eyes as she also flicked her hands, making tables appear where souls could help themselves to coffee, water and pastries. Then, there was a ticket stand and, on the wall, was a large screen with about ten red zeros. Clearly, the souls would have to take a ticket and wait for their number.

"Lovely." Crowley said as he looked up at the screen showing nothing but zeros.

"Alright. Ready." Rowan said and, as if Death was watching her, the portal began to shimmer, appearing in its circular glowing shape. Already, a couple of reapers came in with some souls. Rowan walked up to them with a friendly smile, gesturing to the souls to take a seat. Her Draugar showed them the coffee and pastries, inviting them to sit for a minute.

The reapers, one male and one female, were about to leave, when they noticed Rowan looking at them, expecting them to stay and listen to her.

"When you collect a soul, do you know if they're destined for Hell?" she asked and they looked too nonchalant as they listened.

"The King of Hell will know." The female said with a certain dislike for Crowley in her tone of voice, about to walk away.

"Well, thanks for your time. Wouldn't want to bother you." Rowan said, her voice chilled which made the reapers stop and turn back towards her as other reapers came in with souls, the Draugar guiding them to sit down for a minute, giving Rowan some time to talk with the reapers.

"Sorry." The female said as both her and her partner lowered their eyes.

"I'm the Queen of the Underworld. You'll show respect or I'll have you for lunch." Rowan said and when they looked up at her, to see if she was serious, they looked into her dark eyes and glowing pupils. Her expression was sharp and threatening.

"Yes, Your Majesty." The male reaper said, which made her content. Rowan relaxed and her glowing eyes faded back to a light brown. "You can decide who is unworthy of Helheim. Our only job is to guide the souls to the Underworld." He concluded and she nodded, satisfied.

"Go." She said and watched them leave. If given the normal circumstance, she would have thanked someone for answering her questions, but their lousy attitude just pissed her off.

Rowan turned to the souls, Bjarni handing her the iPad with her app up and working. She started with the first two souls that entered. The screen above had changed; the last zero had turned to a one and the soul with the first ticket stood up. Rowan looked at him with a friendly smile.

"Hello, Robert." She said and began entering his name into the new profile on her app. His name was Robert Smithson, a sixty-seven year old who retired two years ago from long distance trucking.

"You know me?" he asked and when she lifted her eyes up to him, smiled with warmth.

"I'm the Queen of the Underworld. That charming gentleman is the King." Rowan said, pointing to Crowley who never moved from his spot, who now watched them with a little dark grin. Robert just looked at Crowley, unsettled, and glanced back at Rowan.

"Souls don't go to Heaven?" he asked and she could see, despite his years of depression, religion was what kept him alive. Who was she to shatter his illusions? Not that Heaven was an illusion. It's just that things have changed.

"Of course. Many religions belief in the afterlife, it's just that the details vary." Rowan said, which seemed to please Robert enough to make him stop asking questions.

Rowan entered into his profile what she saw when she looked at him. Robert had a difficult childhood, abused by his father and badly treated by his brother. He got married to escape his life and had four children; three daughters and a son. He was worried about becoming like his father, but proved otherwise. He was a great father and a great husband who had become the exact opposite of his father. He gave of himself whenever someone was in need, even when he was down in his depression.

Rowan entered the level in which he'd stay.

Glory.

She looked up at him with a smile and gestured to Gadreel.

"This is Gadreel, he'll escort you to your final destination and explain everything." she said and watched as Gadreel and Robert walked over to the escalator, talking all the way down to the elevators.

The screen above now showed a two, calling the next soul.

A woman stood and smiled at Rowan. She was in forty-two, never married and never had children. She was married to her work.

"Hello, Charlotte." Rowan said and if the woman was surprised, she said nothing. Rowan created a profile for her, noting everything she saw. Charlotte Overton had her own department store and oversaw all the details of her business. She was active in charities and community events, showing that she was a trustworthy pillar of the community. Was she earnest in caring about others? Yes, but it was also to get people to trust her store. She wasn't a terrible person and she wasn't selfish, but she did keep the wages of her employees a little lower than the minimum wage.

"So, where did that man go?" she asked and Rowan lifted her eyes from her iPad screen with a slight smile.

"My job isn't to tell every soul that walks in here where other souls are going." She replied and looked down at her screen. Despite the fact that Charlotte Overton gave money in hopes to see some come back to her, she did help her employees when they were in difficult times. And, she still gave a lot to charities.

Heart, the second level of Helheim, it was.

Bjarni checked her iPad and nodded, stepping up to escort Charlotte to the second level.

"Follow Bjarni and she'll explain everything." Rowan said and watched as they left. She looked up at the souls waiting and found that the reapers were a lot faster than she anticipated. She could see some souls were confused and irritated that they had to wait in a waiting room of all places, like they didn't do that enough while they were alive.

Crowley stepped over to her, standing close as to reassure her.

"I could have a few Hellhounds if any of the souls become impatient." He said, which made her smile. The third soul now stood up and walked over to her. Rowan looked into his dark eyes and nodded. "I could also note those that are eligible for Hell. You could review them when you have a second." He added and she smiled, looking like she wanted to kiss him, but the old woman waiting cleared her throat. Rowan's smile faded somewhat and Crowley turned to look at the souls. Some had asked why he wasn't doing the same as the pretty woman in the black dress and his response was a piercing glare that made them shut up.

Rowan turned to the old woman.

"Hi, Everest." She said, surprising the woman. Everest Jones, eighty-five, died in a car accident because she didn't notice she was turning into the wrong lane, driving right into oncoming traffic. She claimed her glasses were fine, but she was pretty much blind.

"Have we met?" she asked, scrunching up her face. Everest could see, now that she was dead, but if she were still alive, she would simply see a dark shape standing in front of her.

"No. In a moment, someone will take you to your final destination." Rowan said and began typing things into Everest's profile. The old woman sighed and when Rowan looked at her, she looked at this deep set frown on Everest's face.

"Even after I'm dead I have to deal with young people and their damn texting." She said and Rowan raised her eyebrows. "I'm much older than you and deserve respect." She added and Rowan gave her a dark smile that chased away her foolish old frown.

"Believe me, Everest, I'm the oldest thing here." Rowan said with a chilling darkness in her eyes that made the woman shrink back. She returned to the profile, entering the fact that Everest wasn't exactly the kindest person that lived, especially to the young people, as she had put it. If toys fell on her property, she refused to let the children go get them. She would throw the toys out in her garbage and the nicest thing she ever told anyone was that they were in her way, so move it or get her handbag across their head.

Everest didn't really help others and when she did, she made them feel like they were imposing.

So, fourth level, named Cold, was Everest's final destination.

Raganhar approached to escort her to the fourth level and Rowan was relieved to see the old annoying thing go. But then, she had someone shouting from across the room, at one of the pastry tables.

"Excuse me, who's in charge here?" a young woman asked, her wrists slit and red, wearing clothes fit for a hooker. Her hair and makeup were a mess.

Rowan walked over to Crowley and that got the young woman's attention.

"We are. What's the problem?" she asked and the woman looked at them as if she didn't believe them.

"There's nothing but fattening sugary foods here. I want healthy foods." She said and Rowan arched an eyebrow at her. This young woman was a junkie and she wanted healthy foods? Who was she kidding? Instead of dignifying that with a response, Rowan flicked her hand and smiled darkly at the young woman.

When she turned her head, she saw a paper on the wall just in front of her face. And it read:

 _A moment to the lips isn't a lifetime to your hips if you're DEAD… so have a muffin._

When she turned back to Rowan and Crowley, both were grinning and returned their attention to the souls waiting to be sorted.


	46. Chapter 46

**Going Up**

Rowan had sorted out about a few hundreds of souls and there were still more. She had placed at least one in each level of Helheim and she also gave Crowley her approval of the souls he wanted in Hell. They had done horrible things in life and she was glad to get rid of them. Just looking at them she was repulsed, but it was worse because she had seen how they had lived their lives.

Crowley had called them out, gesturing for them to gather at the other channel that had remained empty since the souls had gathered in the waiting room. They all walked up to Crowley, grinning as they stared at Rowan who ignored them, too busy sorting out the thousands waiting to be placed.

"Why are we called up for, man?" one of the men had asked Crowley.

"Why can she service us with her fine ass?" another of the men asked, pointing at Rowan. They all started moaning like they were dying to touch that _fine ass_.

"This way is quicker." Crowley replied, gesturing to his channel. "And you'll find just what you deserve here." He added with a dark grin, walking towards the escalator. The souls followed and once they descended the escalator, were welcomed by a group of demons that escorted them further into Hell.

The souls had stayed pretty happy with the coffee and pastries, talking to the souls beside them, asking how they died. The question was difficult to avoid when some of them had blood all over with fatal wounds clear to the eye.

There was the odd one that demanded they wouldn't wait any longer, but when they got close to Rowan, her eyes flashed darkly and they was afraid of what they saw in her eyes. They went back to their seat where the others around asked what they had seen; only they couldn't say. They just felt fear.

Crowley had brought out his Hellhounds, just to remind the souls that no bullshit was going to be tolerated. Now that they were dead, they could see these beasts and they were fearful; no way were they going to cause Rowan any problems.

And it was sort of obvious now to the souls that Crowley led the other souls to Hell, because those beasts were so ugly and horrible, no doubt they were Hellish creatures.

So when Rowan waited for them, they hurried up, spoke nicely, and did exactly as she said. It was safe to say they were thankful not to go to the other escalator.

Crowley checked in on Rowan, curious to see how she was doing. She was quickly typing things into the profiles, making decisions and having the souls sorted out. She was confident and relaxed, even creating a system that works best for her; getting information down before the soul came up to her, so it made things run quicker.

"How you feeling, Love?" he asked her and she glanced away from her iPad with a smile.

"Perfect." She replied, her eyes glistening, as having souls in her Helheim made her feel stronger. He gave her a slight smile and watched as she quickly sent souls to the levels, having Gadreel and her Draugar walk pretty damned fast. "I should be able to get on that problem with Metatron pretty soon." She added as another soul was sent to Helheim.

"And you'll come back to sort more souls." Crowley said and she turned to him with a slight frown. It wasn't that he didn't believe she wanted a little vacation with him; it's that he knew there'd be thousands of souls not being sorted in her absence.

"I've been thinking of getting more draugar to help." She said, looking a little disappointed as she knew the responsibility really did fall on her shoulders alone.

"Couldn't you astral project; be with me and your ghostly self sort them out?" Crowley asked with a straight face, despite the dark glimmer in his eyes. Rowan smiled and tilted her head slightly, fighting the urge to stroke his somewhat stubbled cheek.

"They'd certainly be scared beyond death." she said, getting a little grin out of him. "I could try." She added and felt his hand graze hers just before he had to call off one of his Hellhounds that was growling at a soul for trying to sneak over to the portal that opened up every few minutes.

Rowan returned to her iPad, sorting out soul after soul.

When she had the last soul sent to Helheim along with Agmundr, she turned to Bjarni and quickly blurted out the instructions. If she was going to start on her project of disabling Metatron and swindling the souls out of Heaven, she couldn't take too long to leave.

"Someone has to check on the levels once in a while. The rest have to stay up here for the incoming souls. Gadreel and I will be back when we can." She said and reached for his hand, blowing Crowley a kiss before vanishing from the Underworld.

Rowan and Gadreel stood in an empty field under a cloudy sky. She glanced over at him and saw this fiercely strong clench of his jaws, as if he was willing to do something so bold that it might be considered suicidal. He looked away and spoke like he was saying a prayer.

"I pray to all the angels that can hear my voice now. I call upon a meeting you'll want to assist. Come now." he said and Rowan looked down to the ground as she could hear the angels discussing. Most of all, a voice louder than them all spoke atop, telling them it was pointless to try; Heaven now belonged to Metatron and he was the new God.

Rowan looked up at Gadreel who gave her an awkward smile.

"I thought it best not to say my name. That might draw Metatron's attention and we want him to stay where he is." He said and she smiled in agreement.

After a few seconds, angels began appearing and just looking into his eyes, they recognized him. They stared at him in horror and as the crowd grew, they weren't pleased to have been summoned by the angel that had failed Eden.

That disgraceful angel, Gadreel.

"You." One said with disgust and as he took a step forward, Rowan did as well with a fierce look in her eyes. The sky grew dark above with her power, concealing anything that Metatron could possibly see. The angels now stared at her, uncertain of what to make of her.

Another angel stepped forward, and didn't stop until he was closing enough to Gadreel. His eyes were warm and, as Rowan looked at him, she knew it had to be none other than Castiel. He turned to the other angels and it seemed they didn't trust him much either.

"Please, listen. It is important." Castiel said and stood next to Gadreel. Rowan relaxed her fierce expression and placed a comforting hand on Gadreel's arm before she addressed all the angels.

"You want back in Heaven?" she asked them and their eyes remained on her in silence. "We have a way." She added and watched as their expressions revealed confusion and doubt. "We can open Heaven." She concluded and the angels clearly didn't believe her.

"And Metatron?" another angel asked, as he stepped forward.

"How will you defeat him? He's so much stronger." Another said, but the way the others looked at her, she was considered higher up on the rank. Still, it meant nothing to Rowan.

"The Angel tablet gives him strength." Castiel said, making it clear that without it, Metatron would just be another angel.

"And you think taking it from him will work? You are sure of yourselves." She said, looking mostly at Gadreel with a sharpness in her eyes. "Is this your way of redeeming yourself?" she asked and Rowan stepped in front of him in a protective manner that she couldn't resist.

"He doesn't need it from you." She said, that fierce look returning in her eyes, making them glow slightly. The angels seemed unnerved and the high ranking angel replaced her harshness with a disconcerting look. "Do you want Heaven opened?" she asked and the angels reluctantly nodded their heads. Rowan smiled and raised a hand where a scroll appeared. The high ranking angel frowned in response, already knowing where that was going.

"Are you some demon? You expect us to make a deal?" she asked, nearly spitting her words out.

"Do I look like a demon to you?" Rowan asked, letting her aura of power shining through, that ghastly astral projection shimmering, making the angels gasp and back away. Rowan felt so strong and powerful, as if, in a way, she was feeding off the energy in Helheim. "I am Rowan, formerly known as Hel, Goddess of Helheim, Queen of the Underworld." She said and the angels were bewildered, glancing at each other and at Castiel with confusion. But Gadreel? That perplexed them the most. Why was he standing so firmly with this Goddess?

"There is a deal involved and I suggest you agree to it." Gadreel said and the angels stared at him, as if wondering why he was doing this. Rowan wanted to tell them that they forced him to seek refuge in the Underworld; that if they hadn't tortured him, locked him away all those years, that he would have stayed with them. However, Rowan knew these angels didn't see passed the tip of their noses.

"I will open Heaven for you, if you release all the souls to me." she said, and the angels became very upset. The high ranking one stepped forward with defiance.

"Never. They belong in Heaven." She said and Rowan only gave her a sinister smile.

"That's where you're wrong." Rowan replied, taking a step forward, scaring the angel, forcing her back. "Long ago, Helheim was the afterlife for all souls. It will be again and there's nothing you can do about it. You will surrender the souls to me or I can send Metatron my regards." She added, tilting her head to her right, batting her eyelashes, which frightened the angels because it was the skull facing them, her eye glowing brightly.

She extended her hand, letting the scroll unravel.

The high ranking angel looked at it, feeling the stares of all the other angels. What were all those souls to them if they couldn't get in their own home?

She reached out and took the scroll. It simply said that Rowan would open Heaven, defeating Metatron, in exchange for the forfeit of the souls to Helheim. She reached into her pocket for a pen, about to sign the contract, but as Rowan narrowed her eyes, the angel gasped as the pen somehow pricking her finger. Instead of blood dripping onto the paper, it was a luminescence fluid.

Rowan quickly took it and folded it up, placing in beneath the lace of her dress, slipping it beneath her sweetheart neckline; more or less, between her boobs.

"Good doing business with you." She said and she turned to Gadreel, giving Castiel a slight smile. That high ranking angel wasn't pleased that the contract took a bit of her grace rather than her signature, but there was nothing she could do, now that Castiel, Gadreel and this Goddess had vanished.

They stood in the playground, in front of the sandbox. The place was so quiet and deserted that Rowan wasn't quite sure. It wasn't that it felt like a trap, it was just so eerily quiet.

Castiel and Gadreel walking into the sandbox glancing at her as she joined them, as if they too felt just how silent the playground was. Gadreel extended his hand to her where she took it with a warm smile. They were in this together.

The portal opened up and it was an uplifting feeling, and not the religious type. They were pulled up into Heaven and, once there, were standing in an old looking room, sort of like a high school boiler room. Castiel walked to the door and cautiously opened it. The hallway was white, but the lighting was dimmed quite a bit, as if to say this part of Heaven wasn't used often. Castiel poked his head out and turned back to them, nodded that the coast was clear.

They stepped out into the hallway and it only made Rowan think of her father.

Crowley had said that, like demons, once an angel is killed, they simply cease to exist. There's no soul that moves on. Once they die, it's like they never existed. Her father was dead and there was no getting him back.

Her father only existed in her, as she shared his birthrights, as she held onto the few memories of him, and as she held a relationship with her only living brother, Fenrir. If she could get her brother Jormungand back, even if it was risky, why not try?

Crowley had suggested that she talk to Dean about Purgatory and she was going to take him up on that recommendation. She was willing to bet that Dean, of all people, would understand because she knew he'd do anything to save and keep his brother safe.


	47. Chapter 47

**Horns and Halos**

Rowan walked down many of those corridors with Castiel and Gadreel. They seemed to know exactly where to find Metatron and, within a few minutes, Rowan could feel it too, as if her father's birthrights were kicking into high gear. Metatron was not very close, but not far either. And, if she was right, he knew they were there.

He was waiting for them.

Rowan repeated Crowley's words in her mind: _I could have something he wants. I could use something that's important to him. I could make him think we're on the same team. I could fool him into a trap. Get to know him and use what you know._

So, Rowan was building up her knowledge of Metatron. The first thing on her list was the fact that he knew they were there and was waiting for them. He had quite the ego and he wasn't afraid.

Yet.

They turned the corner and were indeed close. Down the hall, at the end, was an office and that's where he awaited them.

"Go and I'll be there shortly." Rowan whispered to them, giving Gadreel a reassuring nod. They walked ahead and into the office where Metatron gave a laugh, as if surprised at _who_ made it into Heaven.

"Castiel, you are a persistent one." Metatron said in a voice that was very distinguished. "You're so conflicted; be the big hero, the rebel, but then you must do what's expected of you." He added, letting out a laugh, pausing as he was no doubt looking at Gadreel. "And imagine my surprise. I didn't think you'd be here. Quite brazen, aren't you?" he asked, indeed talking to Gadreel. "Well? Not going to talk? Not going to tell me what great plan you have?" he asked and Rowan approached the office.

No doubt Metatron was sensing a third presence about to make itself know and, if he could sense her as well as she thought, he'd know she was something to take very seriously.

"I hope you'll keep that confident smile, Metatron." Gadreel said a couple of seconds before Rowan walked into the doorway, looking elegant in her black lace dress and that fierce expression in her eyes. Metatron simply stared at her, surprised, but indeed keeping that smile.

"Well, what a party." He said, grinning from ear to ear. He wasn't what she expected. He looked like someone's creepy uncle that shouldn't be around children or out of a mental hospital. However, as she looked at him, oddly, she could see how seriously he took his role given to him by God. He was the scribe of God and he left superior as he was chosen among all the angels.

It was indeed ego.

"Hello, Metatron." she said sweetly as she walked in, pulling up a chair and sitting across from him. He continued to look at her, not in the way Crowley did, but as if he was so memorized by her presence and what she could be, as if he never saw anything like her. He never did and he never will again. "Allow me to introduce myself." She said, extending her hand to him. He took it tenderly and just held it, staring into her eyes as if figuring out that she's part angel and part… something else. "I'm Rowan McKinley, otherwise known as Hel, Goddess of Helheim." She concluded and his lips twitched into an awkward grin.

"How can you –" he began, but stopped as if he finally knew. "Gabriel." He muttered and she grinned darkly.

"You certainly are intelligent." She replied, her grin turning into a dark smile. He smiled in returned and released her hand, as if he was enjoying talking to her. It seemed he forgot all about Castiel and Gadreel. "No doubt chosen because of this quality." She added, getting a rather surprised look on his face. Then, his lips twitched again, like a little kid who was flattered, being told they were highly talented. "No doubt the only one deserving of Heaven." She concluded and his eyes widened as if he finally met someone who saw things through his eyes.

Only then he remembered Castiel and Gadreel, as he looked up at them, his eyes becoming harsh as if he didn't know why they were there if she agreed with him.

"You see, the angels, believe I can talk to you, because Gabriel was my father; I'm the only one that can enter and who doesn't have anything she wants out of all this." Rowan said with a little grin that got Metatron's attention back on her, his lips twitching into a slight grin. "But, there is something I want." She added and his eyes glimmer with curiosity. "To make them cry." She concluded and at that moment, an unseen force pushed Castiel and Gadreel up against the walls of the office and Metatron let out a little laugh as he watched them struggle.

"So eager that you blindly trust. Typical angels." He said and looked back at Rowan with a smile.

Crowley was a genius. Based on what she got from Metatron, making him think they were on the same team worked pretty damned good. He was egotistical because he was chosen and if she played the role of betraying the angels, that would make him giggle like a teenage girl at a football game.

He glanced at her with curiosity in his eyes, supporting his chin on his hand, indeed looking like a teenage girl.

"Why do you want to betray them?" he asked and she knew she'd have to tell him the type of truth he'd want to hear, which wasn't exactly a lie.

"My father's dead." Rowan said, her voice cold as her eyes grew dark. "No one was there for him. They abandoned him all because he walked away? He was in pain! And they abandoned him. I have very few memories of my father. Like I'd help those angels." She concluded, her expression sharp and chilled, pleasing Metatron as if he was happy to see someone as angry as he felt.

Only it wasn't anger; it was a wounded pride.

"Now, how can I help?" she asked, relaxing her expression, but keeping it fierce. Metatron maintained his grin and he looked at Castiel and Gadreel, grinning as if he was victorious.

As long as he continued to believe that.

"If they want back in, they're going to have to prove their worth." Metatron replied, looking back at Rowan with a wicked excitement in his eyes. "Do everything that I say." He added and Rowan nodded.

"Quite excellent." She replied, as he folded his hands on the desk, leaning over towards her, like he was ignoring the two angels behind them.

"And what exactly can you offer me?" he asked, his eyes oddly seeming greedy. This is where she could also have something he would want and use it against him. She had an idea, it was actually the only idea she had, but she was willing to take a risk. If he wanted to be as almighty as God, then no doubt he'd feel greedy at the idea of power. Crowley had told her that souls were raw power and power for beings at the top of the chain was exactly what she had.

Souls.

"I'm Ruler of the dead. All those souls. You obviously know how powerful a soul can be." She replied and his eyes glistened, but she wasn't sure he was hooked on the idea. At least not yet. "I understand souls and you'd be intrigued by my knowledge and what I can do with them." She added and saw a spark in his eyes, knowing very well why he was tickled pink when she said he was intelligent. He values knowledge and obviously has a desire to acquire all there is to know. "I'm also playing double agent, here." She concluded with a grin that made him smile.

"And you think that's going to sweeten me up?" he asked her and, one would typically feeling like their plan is crumbling like a cookie in milk, but Rowan remained confident, calling his bluff.

"I hear the Angel tablet is what makes you super juiced up. And I'm not saying you're not powerful, but you have to admit that nothing is as powerful as a soul. Those little gems are packed with raw power and imagine all of them together. God's little meth crystals." Rowan replied with a sinister grin. It was bold, but she was beginning to believe that she had Metatron right where she wanted him.

Eating up every word that came from her soft pink lips.

"And why would you help me?" he asked and she tilted her head at him with a sad frown.

"So afraid that the world has turned its back on you." She said, seeing a small flicker of vulnerability in his eyes. Yeah, it helped when she could see things, whether it was a soul or not. "Do you honestly think I care about anything? I'm a Death Goddess, Metatron; life isn't exactly my cup of tea. Do what you want with it, destroy it; I'd be happy." She added with a dark grin that was nearly insidious.

Metatron looked at her for a brief moment, as if considering what she had said, and before he could think any further, she decided to ask a very touchy question, she was certain of it.

"Where's God anyway?" she asked and his expression fell away, revealing much vulnerability. Indeed a touchy subject.

"No one knows." He replied and she gave him another sad frown.

"What do you think that means?" she asked him and he stared at her, as if wondering if she had an idea that she was withholding from him. "Was that right after you wrote the tablets?" she asked him and he looked down at his hands.

"Yes." He replied and she nodded. When he looked back up at her, she had her eyes on the desk, looking puzzled.

"And you thought taking his place would make him come back?" she asked, her tone low as her eyes lifted up, meeting his in a serious expression. That's when she was asking herself just what the Hell was she doing. Did she want to piss him off?

Well, she was about to see what would happen.

"I thought he left because of me." he said and before he could continue, she cut in. If she was going to piss him off, might as well do it right… by hitting a nerve.

"You're proving your worth." She said and his stare on her was intense, but it also indicated that she had indeed hit a nerve. Metatron remained silent for a brief moment, looking down at his hands folded together on the desk. Rowan could have continued a bit further, but she didn't want to give away all her secrets, at least not yet.

When Metatron looked back up at her, she stayed strong in her projection of an ally. He wasn't stupid and she had to remember that.

He opened a drawer of his desk and pulled out one tablet, and then pulled out another. Rowan didn't have to look closer to feel drawn to one of the two; she knew which one was the Angel tablet. She took a slight glance and then looked back into Metatron's piercing eyes. He had taken them out to either test her intentions or confirm a theory he had about her.

"Everyone's just interested in them." He said and she gave him a slightly dark smile.

"Being the word of God, it's understandable." She replied and a creepy smile slowly broke out on his face.

"But it's useless when I'm the only one that can read them." Metatron said and she wanted to argue that the prophet Kevin could as well, obviously, but that would probably tell him what he thought to be true; that she wanted it for herself.

Not true, but he was sort of a mad man and it was never a good idea to argue with one of those.

"So why are you worried?" she asked him, tilting her head with a dark glimmer in her eyes. Maybe she was arguing with the mad man, but she was going to have to reveal her cards soon.

Yeah, she used Crowley's advice, but she had also used a bit of her father's old tricks. She didn't see it in her dreams, but as she stayed longer in Heaven, she was beginning to feel more like the daughter of an Archangel that just so happened to be a little trickster.

"As the old saying goes; keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer." Metatron said, his stare so intense on her, as if to say that he knows she's not trying to be a friend. Rowan gave a dark and chilling smile, no doubt her aura of power glowing in her eyes.

"I don't have enemies; that would suggest that my opponent stands the chance of beating me." she said and looked up behind him. In a second, before he could catch on, Gadreel and Castiel vanished from the wall behind Rowan in a shimmering illusion. A ring of Holy Fire was lit around Metatron and Rowan, as it was the only way to get around him without crawling under the desk. As the circle was lit aflame, Gadreel swiped the Angel tablet out of Metatron's bewildered grip as well as the Demon tablet.

Both angels stood away from the circle and, as much as he tried to fight against it, Metatron was reduced to a simple angel now that the Angel tablet had been taken out of his possession.

Metatron turned his eyes back to Rowan who remained seated calmly in her chair.

"Well, you are your father's daughter." Metatron said, referring to the illusion she had created. All that time, she had Castiel and Gadreel imprison him unknowingly under the disguise that they had been betrayed. And all those things she told him, it was quite clever. "You realize that being part angel, you're stuck in this circle." He said with a smug smile, but she simply smiled at him.

"Makes no difference to me; what have I got to lose at the moment?" she asked and glanced at Gadreel. "Time to take a break." She added and Metatron let out a gasp a second later, realizing what she was actually saying. As he began to protest, Gadreel held it firmly in his hands and, at that moment, Castiel too protested.

The Angel tablet hit the bookshelf just beside Gadreel and, with such force, shattered into two pieces. Metatron's face was pale with horror and Castiel's eyes were wide with confusion.

Rowan gestured to Castiel as Gadreel met her dark eyes. She turned her head to Castiel and waved him off.

"Go." She simply said and it took him a second to obey her order, pushing aside the confusion. As soon as he was gone, she turned back to Metatron and smiled as if there was something that suddenly surprised her. "Can you feel some angels in Heaven? I sure can." She said and stood up with a sinister grin. Gadreel had hid the Demon tablet in his jacket just before some angels had burst into the office, glaring at Metatron with resentment for what he had done.

They doused a small portion of the circle of Holy Fire, enough to break its hold on Rowan and Metatron. Before he could do anything, some angels restrained him, pulling him out of his chair.

The high ranking female angel walked in, not looking very pleased, but compliant.

"We have reapers to escort the souls over to Helheim." She said and Rowan turned to her, stepping out of the broken circle.

"Good." She said, taking Gadreel's hand and looking over at a stunned Metatron. Yes, he now knew that all of this had been nothing but a deal to her.

"You're no better than a demon." he said to her, but she only smiled sweetly at him, despite that dark glistening spark in her eyes that revealed she was taking that as a compliment.

"You're not worthy, apparently." She replied, looking around at the absence of God. When she looked at Metatron just before the angels took him out of the office against his will, she saw the expression on his face.

She hit that nerve one last time.


	48. Chapter 48

**Welcome to Paradise**

Rowan walked back into the Underworld and the reapers were indeed escorting Heaven's souls to her. As she walked in, she saw that the entrance was full of souls needing a good sorting. Crowley had just walked in from Hell, his dark eyes gleaming as he looked at her. Was he that happy to see her or was he was proud of her accomplishment?

Probably proud that she struck a deal with the angels. Or had he sensed the Demon tablet like how she had sensed the Angel tablet? Maybe that's why he was so damn happy.

However, it didn't matter at the moment. Rowan had souls to sort or she'd be swamped. Yes, she did want some alone time with Crowley, but he had to agree that there were just too many souls to leave on vacation at that very second.

She turned to Gadreel so Crowley wouldn't be able to see her lips, just in case he could read them.

"Put the tablet in my desk in the office, please." She said and Gadreel nodded, quickly going to the office before helping her escort some souls to the first level of Helheim.

Rowan turned to her Draugar who waited for her. When Bjarni handed her iPad back to her, she was surprised to see they had made some notes of some souls in her absence. How helpful! All she needed was to approve which level where they thought the souls belonged. Once she did, they were able to escort them away.

She took her place at the front, just beneath the large screen of numbers that had restarted back to one. Since she left when there were no souls to sort, her power must have restarted the count. In a way, it was good; if the numbers had continued, it would have been depressing. Sorting that many souls nearly single-handedly? Depressing.

Crowley stepped up to her in a way that would hide his hand resting tenderly in the small of her back. Rowan kept her eyes on her iPad screen, but her little smile said that she had missed his affectionate touches.

"I hope you don't mind working a little before we take that vacation." She spoke softly, holding up her hand, telling the other souls to wait while her Draugar are escorting all the souls they had entered into her app during her absence. In a way, first come first serve was the policy in the Underworld.

"Of course not, Chickadee." He spoke just as softly, making her smile brighten.

"Any souls you'd like in Hell?" she asked him, preparing to help the souls waiting for her. Bjarni, Agmundr and Raganhar weren't even back yet.

"If you're offering, I'll take half the lot. Will that work for you?" he asked and she let out a slight laugh, meeting his eyes whether the souls waiting were growing impatient. Crowley's eyes were still gleaming as he stared at her. He might have been alright with working a little longer, but those eyes said he was ready to take her on vacation to have some fun.

"Don't get greedy." Rowan replied, smiling at that grin on his face. "I'll rephrase that: are there any souls that should go to Hell?" she asked and he scanned the crowd that was quickly filling in the seats as well as their mouths with coffee and pastries, happy that they could eat in the Underworld.

"A few." Crowley replied and pointed them out to her. Once there were some names to those faces, Crowley called them out, gathering them before him, selling them on the idea that going to the left was much better than going to the right.

With that done, Rowan began helping the souls that waited for her. She began filling out their profiles, placing them in the appropriate level and getting her Draugar to escort them down. With a couple thousands out of the way, she was now getting to the souls that Heaven had delivered.

And they were still being delivered to the Underworld. Naturally, the angels housed all the souls that had passed away throughout the centuries that she was living incognito, so that vacation was probably going to get _delayed_.

And poor Crowley was going to get _delaid_ as well.

Quite a few souls were getting sorted rapidly, until Rowan came upon someone interesting. She looked at the woman and saw a connection with the Winchesters. The woman kept glancing over her shoulder, trying to find someone and Rowan soon learnt that she was trying to locate her daughter in this crowd; the daughter that had died in her arms just before her own death.

A hunter's sacrifice.

"Would you like to wait for your daughter, Ellen?" Rowan asked and smiled warmly as Ellen Harvelle turned with a stunned expression.

"Where is she?" Ellen asked with concern in her eyes.

"She'll be here soon and I could explain everything to the both of you." Rowan replied and when Ellen gave a slight nod, gestured to her left. Ellen stepped beside her and Rowan continued sorting the souls, entering their information into profiles. There were the odd ones that tried asking questions, but the only response they'd get is that those escorting them down the escalator would answer their questions.

She would have kindly explained if it wasn't for the thousand of souls behind them. How typical of humans to think that the world revolved around them, even after they're dead.

Rowan glanced up and saw a female reaper bringing in a young blond and she knew that to be Ellen's daughter, Jo Harvelle.

"Jo just arrived." Rowan said to Ellen as she went back to the profile of Jacob Brown who was rather very patient and easy going. Rowan smiled at him and gestured to her left, telling him that he would now be escorted to his final destination. He smiled and left. Ellen had waved to Jo, hugging her once she made her way through the souls.

"Why do they get to cut?" the soul in front of Rowan asked. She looked up and saw a teenage boy with a good features, but a horrible attitude.

"Mrs. Harvelle was here before you. I simply let her wait for her daughter." Rowan replied and before he could ask specifically why Jo was allowed to cut in front of him, she lifted up her hand, narrowing her eyes. He shut his mouth and looked away from her dark eyes.

Rowan looked over and saw that Bjarni had just returned from escorting some souls. She waved her over and gestured to the young boy.

"Could you please fill out the profiles and suggest levels, please." She said, smiling as Bjarni beaming with delight, proud to have the responsibility placed on her shoulders. Rowan turned to Ellen and Jo, smiling and gesturing to the escalators were Gadreel met her eyes, frowning slightly as if he was trying to figure out what she was doing. "If you'll follow me, I'll personally escort you." She said, grinning as mother and daughter exchanged a glance of uncertainty.

Nonetheless, they followed her. Rowan waved Gadreel over as she began descending the escalator. Once they reached the lobby of elevators, Rowan pressed the down arrow and the doors opened rather quickly. She gestured for Ellen and Jo to board first, then Gadreel. Once inside, she pressed the number one button.

"What's going on?" Jo finally asked, making Rowan's smile widen.

"You'll see in a second." She replied just as the doors opened. She stepped out and turned to see their expressions. They looked up at the sunny sky above them and then at the corridors of glowing archways. "What you saw back there is the entrance to the Underworld and this is Helheim; more specifically, the first level of Helheim." Rowan added, glancing at them as they continued to stare in awe. However, being hunters, their attention focused on her at the word _Underworld_.

"What?" Ellen asked and Rowan thought of how she could best explain it.

"Long ago, back when I was Ruler of the dead, better known as Hel, but you can call me Rowan; Helheim was the place for all souls. With Lucifer falling from grace, it wasn't safe for me to stay and once my kingdom became Hell, the angels began placing good souls in Heaven." Rowan said, so far Ellen and Jo were following. "So, I've recreated Helheim and both my kingdom and Hell are, as I've said, the Underworld." She concluded and watched as mother and daughter let this information sink in.

Before they could ask questions, the corridors shifted and Ellen's archway appeared with her name etched into the plaque. She stared at it with a bit of puzzlement and when she looked back at Rowan, she quickly looked at Jo with concern in her eyes.

"Unlike Heaven, you are not confined to your space. As you can see, the archways have no doors. You can stay together in your space, you can go to Jo's space." Rowan said and the corridors shifted slightly, stopping at Jo's archway. "You can visit friends who are on this level, or the second and third levels if they are there. You might want to check with Gadreel first." Rowan added and gestured to him, getting Ellen and Jo to steer their attention to the angel. "He's in charge of this level and will help you with your questions or requests." She concluded with a warm smile.

Ellen and Jo looked back at the shimmering archway with uncertainty. Rowan approached and placed a gentle hand on Ellen's shoulder.

"It's safe to go in. It'll be anything you want and, believe me, the space is much bigger than you think, unlike those little boxes in Heaven." She said, watching as mother and daughter exchanged glances. Then, Ellen turned to Rowan with a question on her mind.

"Why did you personally escort us here?" she asked with a bit of confusion.

"Any friends of the Winchesters are friends to me." Rowan replied with a soft smile. They seemed a little stunned, but there was a little hint of gratitude in their expressions. "This level of Helheim is for selfless souls; those that have sacrificed their lives for others. As hunters, you deserved the best and I guarantee you'll be very happy here." She added and then Ellen's face sort of lit up. She didn't have to say; Rowan could see it like a flash in her own mind. "And as soon as your husband arrives, I'll have Gadreel escort him to you." She concluded, seeing that hunter's guard fall; Ellen and Jo were relieved and happy, their eyes glistening as tears threatened to well up with the surge of happiness that overwhelmed them.

"Thank you." Ellen said and Rowan watched as they entered Jo's archway. Just to know that they'd be together as a family made them so incredibly happy.

And it made Rowan happy.

She turned to Gadreel, about to say that she'd send Bill Harvelle to him as soon as he arrived to the Underworld, when she noticed a bright smile on his face.

"What?" she asked him with a slight grin.

"You're glowing." He replied, that smile as bright as the sun above their heads.

"It's just my aura." Rowan replied, knowing that she did glow whenever she was getting her Hel mojo on.

"No, you're happy." He said, surprising her a little. "Seeing how happy the souls are to be here makes you happy. You're radiating with joy." He added, getting her to smile and let out a little laugh of delight. She wasn't the only one to glow seeing the happiness of others; Gadreel seemed just as happy.

Rowan reached for his hand, giving it a light squeeze. She would have thrown her arms around him in a hug, but that might make him uncomfortable. She just wanted to express her gratitude for sticking by her side the entire time.

"Thank you for your help." She said, watching that bright smile as it remained on his gorgeous face. Her smile faded just slightly as she was about to thank him for something else. "And thank you for breaking the Angel tablet. That mustn't have been easy to do." she added and his smile faded a bit too, but not the glow in his beautiful eyes.

"It was the only way." He replied and she was about to specify her gratitude for his compliance, but he stunned her into silence and he hugged her. He was a little rigid, as if he wasn't comfortable with hugging, but couldn't resist the impulse. Rowan hugged him in return just before he stepped back.

It was time to get back to work.


	49. Chapter 49

**V.I.P.**

Rowan continued sorting souls that had arrived from Heaven. Most of them were in the upper levels of Helheim, but there were quite a few that also went to the lower levels and by that she meant the fourth and fifth levels. So far, not very many had been escorted to the sixth and seventh.

Her Draugar had filled out profiles while she had personally accompanied Ellen and Jo to the first level of Helheim. It was a big help. All she had to do was agree with their suggestion of a level; not once did she disagree with their judgment. She was impressed how they got the whole truth out of the souls, which was mostly threaten to go to the other side of the Underworld.

As Rowan had told Ellen and Jo, the minute she saw Bill Harvelle, she guided him to Gadreel, telling him that his wife and daughter are waiting for him. Judging by Bill's expression, he hadn't seen his family in Heaven, let alone know they had died.

As Rowan watched him leave with Gadreel, shocked that his wife and daughter had died, but was so ever happy to be with them, she knew she'd have to tell Death that if he hadn't spoken to her about recreating Helheim, souls like the Harvelle family wouldn't have the pleasure of being together in death. In other words, thank him for making moments like that possible.

As she continued sorting souls, Crowley saw no need to stick around and said he'd continue building their house. She gave him a smile as he wasn't upset that she wanted to sort Heaven's souls before taking some time off. He might have been a little disappointed, but seemed content to continue working on her dream home. She was going to have to show her appreciation. Perhaps she could find a sexy little lingerie to wear for him… for like five seconds before he rips it off.

Rowan focused on the souls or she'd feel like Crowley wouldn't be the only delaid individual in their relationship.

Heaven's souls were pretty easy to sort, since many of them had lived decent lives and getting them to think twice about asking questions was pretty easy too. Her ghostly astral self shut them up pretty fast; apparently she was scary.

She wasn't paying much attention to the souls after a while, like they really were just profiles on her iPad app. There were some famous faces that caught her interest, like authors and singers, but they got sorted quickly too.

The only time Rowan stopped for a moment was when she came across a woman whose husband was important to the Winchesters. She was busy seeing into the woman's short life with her husband, unfortunately possessed by a demon and dying at the hands of the man she loved.

"Miss?" she asked, snapping Rowan out of her thoughts.

"Yes, Karen?" she asked, shocking the woman. "Repeat that for me." she added before Karen could ask how she knew her name. Having to repeat yourself to nearly every soul was a pain in the ass, hence why it was so better not to talk much.

"I was wondering if my husband, Bobby Singer, was here." She said and Rowan gave her a friendly smile.

"I haven't met him yet, so if he's not in this room, he hasn't arrived yet." Rowan replied, watching as Karen nodded with some concern in her eyes. "Would you like to wait for him here or would you prefer if I have him meet you at your final destination?" she asked, Karen looking up at her with a bit of confusion on her face.

"Where am I going?" she asked and Rowan's smile became warm.

"It's like Heaven, only much bigger and it can be anywhere you want it to be; your house with Bobby, if that's what you desire most." Rowan replied and Karen seemed to really enjoy that.

"And Bobby will be with me?" she asked, hope igniting in her eyes.

"You bet. You can also visit family and friends, very much unlike Heaven, so I've come to understand." Rowan said and Karen nodded with a smile.

"I would like to go and bake some pies for Bobby. I can bake pies, right?" she asked and Rowan nodded with a bright smile.

"You can even travel to Paris, France. The possibilities are limitless." She said and waved Gadreel over. Once he was close, she gestured to him, telling Karen that he'll escort her to her space. She deserved to be in the first level of Helheim and she would escort Bobby herself, since he was like a father to Sam and Dean.

Rowan watched as Karen and Gadreel left and she looked at the crown, scanning for Bobby. She couldn't see him, so she continued with the next souls in line, so to speak. If she didn't have another number flash on the screen above her head, the souls might complain and say that that soul was taking too long and should be skipped.

It was only a matter of time before she had one of those to deal with.

Her Draugar were coming and going, most of the time with a few souls at a time. Once all of Heaven's souls got placed, they too would need a break. Unfortunately, they couldn't all take vacations at the same time. Not only that, but she was going to need more draugar; three was going to be spread too thinly and it would be ideal to have at least one per level in Helheim, except the first one (since she had Gadreel taking care of that one), overseeing the souls and reporting back to her.

Rowan looked up, feeling discouraged to see the reapers _still_ bringing in souls from Heaven. Since this was Death's fucking idea, he should be helping!

Rowan entered a few more souls and then looked up at the portal again, seeing reapers bringing in souls nonstop. One soul had her attention and it was because he was connected to Bobby Singer. She waved her hand and called his name.

"Rufus Turner." She shouted out, waving as he made eye contact with her. The soul in front of her frowned, not appreciating having to wait when it was his turn. She ignored him as she was too busy reading Rufus' lips.

 _Damn, I like this place already._

He smiled and walked around the long rows of chairs, walking through the souls, grabbing a muffin on his way, and smiled as he approached her.

"I must have done something right, although I don't know what I did to get recognized. Who are you?" he asked, looking at her like he not only appreciated being recognized, but being called up by a pretty face.

"I'm the Goddess of Helheim." She said and he was surprised.

"You don't say." He replied with a bright smile. Rowan tried not to smile too much at his enthusiasm and it was perfect timing when Gadreel got back from the first level. She waved him over, getting a smile out of him. He no doubt loved his job.

"Rufus, this is Gadreel. He'll show you to your final destination and explain everything." she said, gesturing to the angel, getting a nod out of Rufus. He smiled at her one last time, nodding his gratitude to her. Rowan watched them leave and she quickly got back to her impatient middle aged man who was still frowning at her. She lost her smile and quickly added Rufus into her app before getting to that jerk in front of her.

She sorted a few more souls, always looking up to see if Bobby Singer had arrived. It seemed that because he was like a father to Sam and Dean she was eager to meet him.

After sorting about a hundred souls, Rowan was beginning to lose hope that she'd soon see him.

"Hey, I know you're super busy, but can you please tell me where I am?" said this young male voice. Rowan looked up from her iPad screen to see this handsome teenager looking like a grease head from the fifties. She smiled at him and decided to answer his question, since he caught her in a pretty disappointed time and she needed a positive attitude to lift her spirits, so to speak.

"The Underworld." She replied and he nodded, looking at her, frowning a little at her dress. "I know it's a little confusing, but once you're shown to your final destination, you'll be happy." Rowan added, seeing that, despite his bad boy image he was a good kid.

"Cool." He said, hooking his thumbs in his jean pockets, giving her a side smile like he was a pin-up boy.

"Yeah." Rowan said, getting Raganhar to escort the young man and, as she glanced up at the portal, smiled as she finally found the man she was so eager to meet. Bobby Singer walked in, looking uncomfortable and uncertain. She waved her hand up with a smile and called him a couple of times. When he met her eyes, she waved him up front.

"That's the second time you've done that. It's not fair to the rest of us who have to wait." Said a woman in her forties, looking like she was trying to look like the gals of the eighties, obviously stuck in her teen years. "I want to speak with the one in charge." She said and Rowan raised her eyebrows, not thrilled to hear that type of attitude.

"What number does it say on your ticket?" Rowan asked and when the woman looked down, her jaw fell as the numbers changed.

"What the fuck? I had ten thousand nine hundred and twenty five! Now I have eleven thousand and one!" she replied, looking at Rowan with horror, then with disdain as someone in the crowd behind her cheered at having her previous number.

"I guess you know who's in charge now." Rowan said and waved the woman off, welcoming the now lucky soul number ten thousand nine hundred and twenty five, just as Bobby stepped up, unsure of why she had singled him out. Rowan lifted a finger to the young guy that looked like a Californian surfer, asking for a minute to talk to Bobby.

"Sure, take as much time as you want." He said, just happy that he didn't have to wait as long as before. She smiled and glanced over, seeing Agmundr ready to help. She waved him over and smiled warmly at surfer guy.

"This gentleman is going to ask you some questions and escort you to your final destination when I get back." she said and surfer guy smiled.

"Awesome." He replied and she gestured for Bobby to walk with her as she turned her smile at him, quick to reassure him that everything was alright.

"Do I know you?" he asked before she could say anything. He kept some distance between them, as if he didn't trust anyone. As she looked at him, gathering information on him, she could tell that he never did trust anyone, at least not until they passed his tests to prove they weren't monsters.

"No, Bobby, but I'm a friend of Sam and Dean." she replied and he looked at her with a bit more brightness in his eyes. Apparently she didn't need one of his tests. "I wanted to personally escort you to Helheim, since you're very important to them." She added with warmth in her smile.

"Helheim?" he asked and she nodded, going down the escalator first, gesturing to everything around them.

"I'll divulge all the details to you; a V.I.P. treatment, you could say." She said and walking into the center of the lobby, looking down at the design in the floor. His eyes dropped down and when he looked back up at her, knew exactly who she was.

"The Goddess Hel?" he asked and she nodded.

"When I met Sam and Dean, I was just a girl, Rowan McKinley, going to college. I had a bad case of amnesia, thanks to my Dad who wanted to keep me safe from Lucifer." She began and Bobby nodded, looking a little grim just hearing the name of the fallen angel.

"With good reason." He replied, watching as she pressed the down arrow for an elevator.

"My brother, Jormungand had found me. Sam and Dean thought he wanted to hurt me and killed him. They brought me home with them, since I had nowhere else to go and since they were pretty sure I was the Goddess Hel with a bad case of amnesia." Rowan said, stepping into the elevator that opened up to them, pressing the number one button. Bobby looked at the elevator doors as they closed, no doubt still uncertain of everything. "At some point, they thought it was best if I didn't remember, but, here I am, Rowan the Goddess of Helheim." She said, glancing over at Bobby with a smile. "Death proposed that we recreate Helheim, place the trapped souls here since Heaven was closed to everyone, and also take in the souls from Heaven; returning things to the way they were." She concluded and gestured to Bobby to step out.

He looked up at the bright sunny sky above the lobby of elevators. To the left, he stared at the corridors and glowing archways. His silence was enough to say that Heaven was nothing like this. Gadreel stepped up to them, giving her a slight smile.

"This is the first level of Helheim, filled with selfless souls. As a man that sacrificed much in his life, that cared deeply for Sam and Dean; you deserve to live here." She said, approaching the archways, watching as they shifted, coming to Karen's archway. She glanced over and saw the shock on his face. "You can spend eternity with her, free to do anything your heart desires. You can even see friends and family, such as the Harvelles and Rufus Turner." She said, getting his attention, his eyes wide with surprise.

"What do you mean _free to do anything_?" he asked, the surprise quickly dissipating as he squinted with skepticism. She could only smile with warmth, reaching a tender hand to his arm.

"You're free to visit friends among this level or other levels. You can do all the things you wanted to do when alive, but never had the chance. The souls in the first level get whatever they want. Just ask Gadreel." Rowan said, gesturing to the angel beside her. Bobby looked at him and then back at her.

"Karen's in there?" he asked and she smiled, nodding.

"She's waiting for you." She replied and gestured to the glowing archway. He looked at it, appearing slightly nervous, but stepped into it nonetheless. Once he disappeared into the glow, she fought against taking a peak; to see how happy he and Karen were to be together at last. As she turned back to the elevators, caught Gadreel smiling at her, no doubt noticing how she was radiating with happiness.

"I don't regret breaking the Angel tablet." He said, happiness radiating in his smile and in those beautiful eyes.

"Glad to hear." She said, returning to the elevators, certain surfer guy didn't want to wait too long to get placed. So many souls still had to be sorted and it made her wonder how they would react if she astral projected herself, getting twice the amount of the work done.


	50. Chapter 50

**Magic Moment**

Rowan did just that; astral project and duplicate her iPad. She was able to do twice the work, speeding things up. The souls were a little frightened of her ghostly self, but accepted it if it meant getting out of the waiting room faster. Gadreel and her Draugar were definitely put to the test, escorting souls by groups and going back up for more.

There was one more soul that Rowan personally escorted and that was Mary Winchester; Sam and Dean's mother. Once Mary began to follow her down to Helheim, she reassured her about her sons.

"It's quite the pleasure to meet you, Mary Winchester." Rowan said and smiled as the woman seemed a little astounded. "I know your sons." She quickly added so that Mary wouldn't be so surprised at how she knew her.

"Sam and Dean?" she asked and Rowan nodded with a warm smile, pushing the button to go down.

"They helped me." she said, not sure how else to really say it. Her sons helped this Goddess with amnesia survive a giant snake that only wanted to reunite with her. "They helped a lot of people." She added and Mary beamed like a proud mother, however there was a hint of sadness in her eyes as they stepped into the elevator.

"It wasn't the life I wanted for them." Mary said and Rowan knew with just one look. Mary came from a hunting family and her death only drove her husband and her sons into the path she wanted to avoid for them.

"But, with all due respect, I'd say they were destined for it." Rowan said and said no more on the subject, as Mary's family wasn't the only one into hunting. So was the Winchesters, which is why Sam and Dean were legacies to the Men of Letters. Rowan knew only that much from looking at Sam and Dean.

"Thank you." Mary said with a smile and her expression turned to shock as they stepped out onto the first level of Helheim. Rowan had explained everything to her about the first level of Helheim and that Gadreel was there if she wanted anything. "I just want my boys to be safe." Mary said and Rowan gave her a warm smile.

"You have my promise that they will." She replied and watched Mary walk into her glowing archway. It was somewhat surprising that she didn't ask about her husband, John Winchester, but it was possible that she didn't know he had passed away.

That was something she was going to have to inquire about. If John was dead and wasn't in Heaven, as far as she knew, then there was only one other place where he could be.

Hell. Sadly.

Within a couple of hours, all of Heaven's souls and some newcomers had been placed. The entrance of the Underworld was empty, except for the resting Hellhounds and the exhausted helpers. Even Gadreel seemed a little tired. By now, Rowan's Draugar were all slowly reverting back to human, Bjarni more than the other two. It was odd how their demon essence was changing. Was it her? Was it Helheim?

"Alright, good work." Rowan said, smiling at them all. "Take a break. Maybe compile a list of souls that might be interested in being draugr." She concluded, about to call it a day and go see Crowley.

"What?" Bjarni asked, making Rowan stop, smiling as she turned around.

"Well, I need more hands on deck. You three, and Gadreel of course, are fabulous, but it's too much work, especially when I'm gone." Rowan said and her Draugar continued to look at her in disbelief.

"And you'll take just anyone?" she asked and Rowan tilted her head with a slight grin.

"They'd have to prove their worth before I'd make them a draugr." She replied, crossing her arms over her chest with a broadening grin. At that moment, a couple of souls came in, proving that humans died very often all over the world. There truly were no vacations in the Underworld, but she and Crowley were taking it anyway. "So, when souls come in, gather the information into their profiles and I'll review which level where you think they should go." She concluded and went down Hell's escalator before something could stop her.

She walked down the stupid confusing hallways, surprised that she found her way to the long tunnel to the house Crowley was building. She could hear construction type noises and when she walked into the cavern, smiled as he got the house's foundation and frame done. He turned, obviously having felt her presence, and gave her a tired grin. His hands were bloody, as if had used his blood for sigils to shape the dirt of Hell into her dream home.

She closed the gap and placed her hands on his cheeks, smiling softly at him.

"You poor Devil, working so hard." She said, kissing his lips tenderly, her hands stroking his neck, down to his collar bone, over his shoulders that seemed to relax under her touch. He pushed her lips apart, his lips feeling dry, searching her tongue in a tired effort to kiss her passionately. When he broke away first, breathing in her scent, she rested her head on his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "Why don't we take that vacation now?" she asked, giving the back of his neck a gentle rub.

"About time, Chickadee." He replied, the fatigue evident in his voice. "Wherever you want." He added, making her smile, but she mostly felt bad for him. Crowley was a demon. Yes, he was the King of Hell, but building a house for them by himself? He didn't have Godly powers to conjure it up. She would have offered to help him, but she knew that ego would be offended. He had said that he would build her that house and, as much as it made her heart ache to see him this exhausted, she knew he'd never accept her help.

Then, she thought about the Demon tablet. Would that help him?

Maybe she should let him rest first.

Rowan closed her eyes, picturing Prague in the Czech Republic, the Charles Bridge with the beautiful scenery of the river flowing underneath, the beautiful dark architecture of the city. She then pictured a beautiful hotel room that overlooked the beautiful city.

When she opened her eyes, the cavern in Hell was gone, replaced by a luxurious hotel room, indeed overlooking the beautiful city of Prague. There was a king size bed, covered by beautiful golden sheets and a white comforter and plush pillows. The entire format of the room was rich and glorious with a splash of white and gold everywhere.

Rowan stepped away from Crowley, but took his hand and guided him to the bed, gently pushing him down onto it. He collapsed, leaving Rowan to lift his legs onto the bed. She sat on the edge of the bed, stroking his head, looking down as he closed his eyes to rest. She wasn't sure if he had fallen asleep or if demons could even do that, but she wouldn't be surprised if he was in fact asleep; he spent so much of his energy for her.

She stroked the stubble on his cheek, ran her fingers along the side of his face, and gently pressed the back of her fingers to his forehead, feeling such heat like as if he had a fever.

"You okay?" she spoke softly, nearly in a whisper.

"It's touching how deeply you care about me." he replied, keeping his eyes closed, but grinning just a little, enough to let her know that he wasn't falling asleep. She smiled and fought the urge to roll her eyes, sighing in a playful exasperation. Did he not think that she cared?

"Of course I care about you." I replied, stroking his cheek again. "As much as you care about me; there's no doubt because no one would work to their breaking point to build me my dream home." Rowan added, taking his hand into hers, feeling the dried blood and the cuts in his palm. Both hands would have to be washed.

"It seems I care about you more." He replied and she frowned playfully at him, giving his cheek a slight pinch, making his grin broaden.

"It's not just the things you give that shows just how much you care; it's the things you do and say. Yes, working your sexy ass off to build me a house shows just how much you care, but it's other things too; like when you place your hand in my back when you know I'm stressed, when you never take advantage of me, when you kiss me. I especially like when you kiss me." Rowan said with a smile, leaning over, whispering that last sentence in his ear.

"Have I ever said anything that showed how much I care?" he asked, pointing out that she only mentioned the things that he did. She smiled and stroked his head, leaning back.

"Yes, like calling me Chickadee, Love, Darling; that just gets me all frisky." She replied, smiling at the smirk on his face. "I would have thought that a demon wouldn't have such affections for someone, especially me, but –" she added, cutting her sentence short as he cut in.

"But you know what I nearly became before those Winchesters stuffed me in that dungeon." He replied, no smirk on his lips. He probably didn't like to talk about it and she wasn't sure if she should comment, but remaining silent wasn't any better.

A while back, she felt like telling him she loved him, but wasn't sure if he wanted to hear that. Now, she realized was a perfect time to see if those words would make or break their relationship; taking a risk _out_ of the Underworld was a lot better than _in_ it.

"Can I ask what it was like, almost human again?" she asked and he opened his eyes then, looking into hers. She wasn't able to see in his expression if that annoyed him or not, but she was about to know.

"Horrid, those wretched emotions; every dreadful hope and fear from my past coming back like a knife through the heart." He replied and she knew that it was just the fact that he relived it that annoyed him, not her asking about it. She nodded, not really aware that she had pulled her hand away. He gripped it quickly and brought her hand to his lips, closing his eyes.

Although he hated feeling those human emotions again, and even if he was now as demonic as ever, she knew those emotions were still clinging onto him. He cared a lot about her and probably wanted that reciprocity Why else would he have maintained his behavior towards her after getting what he wanted from her? He probably needed it to feel… loved.

"No one cared about you?" she asked and he opened his eyes again, staring into hers with a heavy sadness that made her regret asking.

"No one _loved_ me, not even my own mother." Crowley replied and she wanted to chase away the sadness in his eyes and the heaviness in her heart. Rowan leaned over and kissed his temple, closing her eyes. There was so much pressure building up within her, making her feel like she was about to burst if those words didn't slip out of her lips and into his ear. It was now or never; she couldn't let her fear control what she knew he needed to hear.

" _I_ love you." She whispered into his ear, taking a couple of seconds before leaning away to look into his dark eyes. When she did, she was surprised and overjoyed to see the small smile on his lips, but mostly the glistening darkness in his eyes. He raised his hand to her cheek, as if it was his turn to chase away the heaviness in her heart. She pressed his hand to her cheek and smiled down at him. She wasn't expecting to hear him repeat those words to her; being a demon, even if he came close to those familiar human emotions, she didn't think he'd say it and she was alright with that. She knew he cared about her.

"I love you, Chickadee." Crowley said, surprising her, as it was probably obvious in her eyes. She brought his hand to her lips and watched as he closed his eyes, resting once again. She kept his hand against her lips as she smiled, so he could feel it. Rowan lowered his hand and conjured a bowl of warm water on the table beside the bed to wash the blood away.

"Alright, my Devil Muffin; rest and I'll wash your hands." She said, squeezing the water out of the cloth that was soaking in the warm soothing water. She began washing his hands tenderly, looking at his face every so often to see that he might or might not be falling asleep.

"How did it go with Metatron?" he asked, still with his eyes closed, and she smiled. Apparently, sleeping was out of the question.

"I did as you suggested. I made it seem like we were in agreement, but I also put in my own flare, which by that I mean use what my father gave me. I tricked Metatron into thinking that Gadreel and Castiel were bound by my power, but they were actually getting ready to disable him just at the moment where he realized I wasn't a friend." Rowan said with a smirk, feeling so damned proud of herself. If her father was alive, he'd be pretty damned proud too.

"And the Angel tablet?" Crowley asked.

"Broken into two pieces, given to Castiel so it was out of Heaven. He probably gave it to Kevin." Rowan replied, washing away the blood, revealing a very nasty cut in his palm. That looked painful.

"The Demon tablet?" he asked and when she looked at him, looked into those dark eyes. He was eager to hear about it, judging by that intense glimmer in his eyes.

"In my desk." She replied with a soft smile. "I thought of getting it before coming here, but then thought you would appreciate the chance to rest first." She added and the intensity in his eyes began to fade.

"Do the Winchesters know you have it?" he asked with curiosity in his dark eyes as he stared at her.

"Just Gadreel. I know Sam and Dean would be in an uproar to know that I intend to give it to you." She replied, watching as a grin slowly appeared on his lips, making his eyes darker in a sinister manner. "That pleases you?" she asked with a smirk that turned into a smile as he reached for the back of her neck, bringing her down to kiss him. Judging by the heat of that kiss, she'd say he was more than pleased.


	51. Chapter 51

**Alright, before you read, towards the end of this chapter, it gets a little steaming. Just a fair warning.**

 **Swept Away**

After their kiss, Crowley promised he'd make love to her as soon as he was feeling up to it, which made her smile. However, he asked that she lay down with him, once again making her smile. Rowan laid down behind him, wrapping an arm around him, gently stroking his chest. He showed his appreciation by placing his hand on hers, entwining his fingers with hers.

Spooning sounded incredibly stupid, but Rowan felt good to nuzzle her face in his neck.

Crowley continued to rest for a couple of hours and when he no longer piped up to make small talk, she was certain that he was sleeping. It was then that she reminded herself that, even as a Goddess, she had to sleep to regain her strength when she had been pushed too far.

After a few minutes, her iPad simply appeared behind her, chiming with a notification. Rowan cautiously slid her hand out from under his, slowly sitting up on the bed, grabbing her iPad. There were indeed some notifications; about a couple hundred souls waiting for her sign of approval. She was able to look at their profiles and approve the level her Draugar had chosen for the souls with decent speed.

There were a couple deserving of Hell; one was a rapist who had killed three women and the other was a sadistic husband, shot by his wife. Crowley was going to be happy to know a couple more souls had been sent to Hell.

Then, Rowan had a message from Bjarni.

 _Okay, so maybe some extra help would be nice. But I don't see who you're going to get._

Rowan smiled slightly, but she knew that was going to be a little problem. The souls seemed pretty happy in Helheim and she doubted any of them would give that up to serve the very place that made them happy. Well, that would be true for the souls in the upper levels. Those in the lower levels probably would volunteer to be draugr just to get out of their Groundhog Day experience. However, those probably wouldn't be good draugar.

She didn't want to think about it. So far, they were doing well; she was able to have the souls sorted and placed without being in the Underworld. She needed this vacation with Crowley and he did too.

She glanced over at him, certain he was asleep, and decided to get down to some research.

Rowan opened Safari and began typing in lingerie. She was going to find the perfect one for Crowley. The last they had intercourse, he ripped her dress, complaining that she didn't show enough skin. So, this time she was opting for something _very_ revealing.

A lot of it was merely underwear and bras turned up a notch to super sexy. Rowan was looking for something a bit more elegant _and_ sexy. Then, she was beginning to find just the right stuff.

She found a see-through detailed, classic black kimono robe stopping at the knee. It had a scalloped lace trim along the bust line with carried to the back in a low v-cut, showing a lot of cleavage. The sheer floral lace bodice and elaborate sleeves were very feminine with a black satin ribbon tie at the front. Even with a ribbon tie, it was very much open and it being transparent left _nothing_ to the imagination.

With this robe came only a matching black g-string. There was no bra, leaving her breasts exposed under the transparent robe. She would simply let her hair fall over her shoulders, which isn't long enough to hide her breasts.

Perfect.

Rowan placed her iPad beside her on the bed and waved her hands over her body, changing her black lace dress to the sexy lingerie she wanted to wear. In seconds, she was wearing it, looking down at the g-string that Crowley would be able to snap off her body with just a one-finger pull. The robe was a nice sheer material and it really didn't hide anything. She loved the sleeves, which made her feel like a sexy Queen of the Underworld.

Perfect.

She glanced over at Crowley, still sleeping, and then picked up her iPad, a few more souls to look over. When that was done, Rowan downloaded some games, like _Candy Crush_ and _Angry Bird_ to pass the time. She kept glancing over at Crowley, hoping that he'd soon wake up; waiting for him in the lingerie wasn't helping. She was feeling… edgy.

Rowan dove into her games, letting herself get distracted. She couldn't stop thinking about sleeping with Crowley and when she tried not to think about it, she was trying not to think about recruiting more help, forming more draugar.

However, she discovered one thing: it was nearly impossible to play her game apps with the souls entering the Underworld. She never could get a break. As soon as she had seen the profiles, she approved the level and knew her Draugar were escorting them to their final destination. Then she had another message from Bjarni.

 _I thought you were on vacation?_

Rowan replied.

 _Crowley used most of his energy building me a house. He's currently sleeping._

She stared at the bubbles of their conversation, then saw that Bjarni was about to reply.

 _And you're working?_

Rowan smiled and replied again.

 _I was playing Candy Crush, hard to do when over six thousand people die per hour._

Bjarni's reply was simply a smiley face. What was that suppose to mean? That she found it funny? When their conversation had gone quiet for about a minute, Bjarni typed another message.

 _Well, we appreciate you taking the time to approve the suggested levels._

With a little smirk, Rowan entered a smiley face in response.

And that had been the end of their conversation.

"Are you seriously working?" Crowley asked, nearly in a grumble. By the sound of his voice, he had been sleeping and had just woken up.

"Yes, because over six thousand people die per hour and while you rest, I can make sure they get placed." She replied and he gave some sort of snorting in response. "What does that mean?" she asked, imitating the noise he had made.

"I was low on fumes, Chickadee." He replied and she let out a soft laugh.

"I know, don't get defensive, Devil Muffin. It's just that the entrance to our Underworld only holds one hundred chairs and I only have four helpers." She replied and as he pushed his upper body up, turning in the process, he stopped when he saw her bare legs. Crowley turned some more, looking up her legs to the see-through robe around her bodice that revealed the only thing she was wearing was a g-string.

He looked up her body, up to her face where she was watching him with a smile and seduction in her eyes.

"Someone missed me." he said and her smile grew, especially when he quickly kissed her, taking the iPad out of her hands and tossing it down on the rug beside the bed. He quickly shifted, breaking their kiss and gripping her legs, pulling her down the bed so her head could fall on the pillow she was using for her back. Crowley brought her left leg around him, so he was in between her legs, looking down at her with a dark seductive grin.

His eyes dropped to her lingerie, his grin broadening.

"Now that's more like it." he said, meeting her eyes as he came in for another kiss, his hands on her legs, going up her thighs to her hips, to the ribbon that kept her robe closed. Rowan gently pushed him back, breaking their kiss and grinned at him.

"I seem to remember that _I_ too wanted you to lose the clothing." She said with a smirk, letting her fingers get to work on loosening his tie.

"Would you like some help with that?" he asked her and she grinned, looking up into those dark eyes.

"Never did before." She replied, seeing the gray glow of her eyes reflecting in his dark eyes.

Rowan undid his tie and tossed it on the floor, probably next to her iPad. She unbuttoned his shirts, opening it up to feel his chest. Not exactly the physique of a body builder, but she didn't care. He fucked her really good last time and that was all she wanted. Crowley rolled his shoulders, pulling off his suit jacket and his shirt while Rowan undid his belt, the button and the zipper of his pants.

The rest was up to him. Rowan watched as he slipped off the bed, letting his pants fall to the floor. She bit her lower lip and placed her hands under her head, closing her legs. When he came back on the bed, she opened her legs for him, welcoming him back. Crowley pressed his body hard against his as he came back for another kiss. Rowan wrapped her arms around his neck, their kiss hard and hungry.

They were both eager for this moment.

His hands resumed their attempt at untying the satin ribbon of her transparent robe and when it was open, broke from their kiss so he could look at her body.

"Exquisite." He said, lowering himself to her body, kissing her sternum, then going to her right breast as his hand rubbed the other. She closed her eyes, letting out a soft moan along with a smile; one hand tenderly stroking his arm while the other combed through his hair. When she opened her eyes, looking down at him, she met his dark lustful eyes as he gave her nipple a slight suckle, the corners of his lips twitching up into a grin.

"You going to play around before we _play around_?" she asked with a grin of her own. He licked her breast and then looked at her so casually.

"Yes." He said and came back up to her, giving her a passionate kiss while his hand was still on her left breast, giving it a squeeze. Rowan raked her nails across his shoulder blades as allowed him to push his tongue into her mouth. Their kiss was hot and passionate, keeping them both eager to skip the playing and get straight to the screwing.

Crowley hooked his index finger in her g-string and, as predicted, gave it a harsh tug where it snapped. He tugged again on the other side, snapping it, and then tore it off her body, throwing it behind him. He locked his eyes with hers, a sinister grin on his face, saying that he had enjoyed that, as short lived as it had been.

He wrapped an arm around her and brought her close to him, pressed up against his body. Crowley turned onto his back and lay there, smiling up at her. Rowan grinned, getting the hint, and sat up, straddling him. He looked at her body, his hands unable to stay away from the curves of her body and the voluminous boobs on her chest.

As Crowley fondled her chest, she thrust her pelvis against him, teasing him. His penis was already erected, but it was now hard with her teasing. His dark eyes narrowed as he met her eyes, making her let out a little laugh. She arched back, pointing her chest out as she ran her hands through her hair.

He sat up, holding her tightly in his arms as he buried his face in her chest, which made her laugh again.

"Oh, Crowley; looks like _you_ missed _me_." she said and ran her fingers through his hair. When his eyes looked up at her, she could see the wrinkles by his eyes, suggesting that he was smiling. Heck, she could even feel that smile on the skin between her breasts.

"You missed me more." He replied, his hot breath on her skin, then his hot moist tongue, going over her right breast.

"I can see you really love my breasts." She said, getting his full attention. He looked up at her with a devious grin, tilting his head to the side.

"I love everything about you, Chickadee." He replied and she smirked, especially when his hands slowly went down to her ass, his hands taking her cheeks and squeezing them lightly. Rowan gave him a quick kiss, her hands going down to his shoulders, and when she broke away, gently pushed him down, grinning seductively at him.

Rowan thrust against his hard penis, not even guiding it within her; he rubbed against her clit, getting her wet with anticipation. She simply arched her pelvis back and then brought it forward where his penis pushed passed and entered her vagina.

She continued to thrust back and forth, closing her eyes as she felt him inside her, penetrating her and making every nerve feel like they were electrifying her senses. She could hear Crowley letting satisfied grunts erupt in his throat as his hands stroked her firm thighs as her muscles were well flexed, giving her thrusts all the strength she could muster into giving them both some well earned satisfaction.

Rowan opened her eyes and looked down at Crowley, meeting his dark eyes. They simply stared at each other as her pelvis movements were slowly gaining momentum and fierce aggression. The little bit of pain that sparked through her like electricity didn't slow her down; it only made her hungry for more.

She viciously jerked back and forth against Crowley, making him grunt louder. Her murmured moans grew louder as his hands gripped her hips, working with her pelvis in motion. Their eyes remained locked together, never breaking contact, much like their lower halves. No words were spoken. None were needed.

Rowan continued to thrust well until she had reached her climax, where she threw her head back and let out a very much fulfilled moan, her thrusting slowing down, Crowley's hands gently going up to her waist. She brought her head back, her eyes glowing, and met his eyes as his lips gave her sternum, that spot between her breasts, a tender kiss.

"Fucking exquisite." He mumbled in between kisses. Rowan wrapped her arms around his shoulders, tilting her head, resting her cheek on his head.

She tightened her vagina around his penis, as if to say that she didn't want him out of her; she wanted to stay as they were for a moment longer.

"Worth the wait." She said, feeling a little chuckle against her rib cage. She raised her head and he pulled back, enough so that they could stare into each other's eyes. "I'm so glad I opened that dungeon door." Rowan said, referring to the first time they met.

"It took quite a bit of effort on my part." He said, making her smile. She stroked his cheeks and lowered her lips to his. It nearly made a kink in her neck, but she wasn't too concerned. She leaned back, but Crowley wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her down as he lay back on the bed, her body atop of his. There was a slight grin on his lips, but there was a smile in his dark eyes.

"I was adamant about not trusting you." Rowan said with a bright smile.

"So much for that." Crowley replied, his grin broadening.

"Yeah, it was me I shouldn't have trusted, not with you bound to that chair. Who knew I'd find that so kinky." She said and he stroked her cheek as her hair fell over like a curtain, blocking out the light so he could look into her glowing eyes.

"Believe me, I noticed." He replied, getting a slight laugh out of her.

"I knew the second I walked into my bedroom in the bunker. I knew there was something hidden and I was taken by you the very second I laid eyes on you." Rowan said and Crowley's grin widened, revealing his devious content.

"You were actually taken the second I put you on the kitchen counter." He replied, making her laugh, referring to when she had released him from the dungeon in what she thought had been a dream.

"No, way before that." She said with a grin and a spark of mischief in her eyes.

"Oh?" he asked and she leaned down, her lips almost touching his.

"When we made that deal and sealed it with a kiss. Like this." Rowan said and kissed him softly, trying to imitate their first kiss. She remembered it well and, apparently, so did he. It was like reliving their first kiss, only this time, if she got too frisky or handsy, she wouldn't stop herself and Crowley sure as Hell wouldn't either.

Rowan pulled back and stared into his dark eyes with a warm smile.

"Best deal I ever made." Crowley said and watched with curiosity as she sat back up into her straddling position, only to finally release Crowley from her tight grip, and lay down beside him. Rowan curled up as he wrapped an arm around her, his lips to her forehead.

"This vacation is sublime." She said, resting her head on his shoulder as she caressed his chest lightly. "How about we do that again in a few minutes?" Rowan asked, looking up at Crowley with a smile. He only grinned in response as he slipped his free hand under his head, a dark glimmer in his eyes.


	52. Chapter 52

**Recruitment**

Crowley and Rowan remained in bed until the sun fell beneath the horizon and the sky darkened. They spent the day with their bodies entwined, forgetting the world around them. With the night lights illuminating their dark room, they decided to finally get out of bed.

Crowley pulled his suit back on while Rowena conjured dress, but this one was different. It was an Emerald Sundae long black lace backless gown; a delicate lace high collar over a sweetheart neckline with a feminine bow tie in the back to hang down over her open back. The curve hugging floor length dress also had a slit along her left leg, up to her thigh. It was similar to her first dress, but with less lace.

When she turned to Crowley, he smiled darkly at her, wrapping an arm around her and giving her a tender kiss on her cheek.

"Beautiful." He spoke in a whisper. He pulled back and looked out at the night scene just out of their hotel window. "Shall we take a stroll?" Crowley asked and she kissed his cheek in response. He looked at her and smiled.

They left the hotel, simply teleporting to the street beneath their hotel window. Prague was a beautiful city at night.

As they walked the street, passing by other couples snuggled closely together, they couldn't resist reminiscing about the day they met, the time they spent together.

"I knew the Winchesters had caught on, but I was going to beat them to the discovery." Crowley said, making Rowan smile, shaking her head slightly. "Then, naturally, they were going to let you forget." He added and she nodded.

"So much for that." She said with a bright smile. "Not to inflate your ego, because we both know you do that well on your own," she added, making Crowley chuckle softly. "But I was attracted to you instantly." She concluded and when she looked into his eyes, grinned as his ego was indeed inflated.

"Likewise, Chickadee." He replied, making her let out a slight laugh. He narrowed his eyes at her, not appreciating how it sounded like she didn't believe him.

"Especially when I got tipsy, I can imagine." She said and his lips twitched into a smirk.

"Oh, that was delicious." He replied, making her laugh a little. "You had your hands all over me." he added, making her laugh a little louder. "If only the Winchesters knew what went on in that dungeon of theirs." He concluded and she looked up at him with a grin.

"But our deal won't permit it." she said and he grinned down at her.

Rowan's iPad simply appeared in her hand. She raised it with an arch eyebrow and sighed. When Crowley glanced over, seeing the iPad, he let out a soft chuckle.

"Like a lost puppy; always finds its way back." he said and she quickly checked it. There were few dozen souls to approve and Crowley was taking a bit of interest into the newcomers. It wasn't abnormal, but she was curious as to why he kept looking over.

Rowan came to one guy and Crowley's attention seemed to intensify. She glanced over at him and narrowed her eyes. When he looked up at her, away from her iPad, he gave her a slight grin.

"Says here that he got out of a deal a few years ago." She said and his expression only remained the same. "Care to spill the details?" she asked with suspicion in her eyes that only made his smile broaden.

"Roger Finnegan came to the crossroads, asking for riches because he lost everything to loan sharks and was bound to end up dead." Crowley said, looking out at the city of Prague as her stare pierced through him, determined to know what he wanted. "We were doing well; the deal was sealed and he got his riches. I gave him a couple of years, but the Winchesters got in and helped him hide from my Hellhounds." He added and Rowan then knew what had happened; Sam and Dean got Roger out of his deal, but how was beyond her, so she let Crowley continue. "They killed one of my Hellhounds and then trapped me. Quite embarrassing, but I terminated the deal." He concluded and with no details, Rowan was highly curious as to how they forced the King of the Crossroads into giving up Roger's deal. If he wasn't sharing the details, he was only too embarrassed and she wasn't going to push him.

"You got cheated out of a deal." Rowan said and Crowley looked at her with a slight grin in those dark eyes.

"Exactly." He replied, clearly not happy with Sam and Dean about that.

"Well, you may not like Sam and Dean, but I have a soft spot for them." Rowan said with a plan in mind. Crowley gave a snort and looked away. "I just placed Mary Winchester in Helheim before we left and it's my goal to have the whole Winchester family together." She added and looked up at the stars with a smile on her face, making Crowley glanced over at her to see if she was serious.

"Setting yourself up for failure, Chickadee." He said and she glanced at him with an arched eyebrow.

"Meaning?" she asked and the corner of his mouth twitched into a grin.

"Where do you think John Winchester is?" he asked and she fought really hard to hide her expression as he confirmed her suspicion.

"In Hell?" she asked and looked away. "Explains why he hadn't come in with Heaven's batch." She added and glanced back at him to see a broadening grin.

"In order to fulfill your goal, perhaps we can strike a deal." Crowley said and she looked at him with a little grin of her own, but she found it odd how she wasn't the only one with that idea. Had he known that's where she was going?

Then it dawned on her why Crowley was looking at her iPad, interested in Roger Finnegan (and not just because he got out of his deal), and offering a deal. Someone that gets out of a deal never really does get out of that deal, at least not when the demon making it is Crowley, even now that he's the King of Hell.

"Just what did you do to Roger?" she asked and his grin widened as his dark eyes glistened. She nailed that theory head-on.

"Simply had a demon slip a hex bag here and there when he came out of his witness protection." Crowley replied and she shook her head with a grin she couldn't quite hide.

"I get that he cheated you, and I'm not defending him, but that was cheating too." She said and he only grinned, totally not offended. "So this is where you offer John for Roger, right?" she asked and his dark eyes sparked as if he loved that she thought similarly as him.

"If it were anyone else, I'd never allow it. You realize how much I let you get away with, don't you?" he replied and she let out a laugh as she tightened her grip around his arm. However, he was right, she knew it. She smiled sweetly at him, batting her eyelashes as if they were sending his kisses.

"I appreciate it. Roger is yours, if I get to deliver him and receive John myself. Not like fetch him out of Hell." She said and he let out a chuckle.

"Classic trade-off." he said and she nodded.

"Exactly." She replied and they crossed the street, coming to a late restaurant, serving coffee with little plates of snacks. "When would you like that done?" she asked and he glanced down at her with a slight grin.

"No rush, Chickadee." He replied and she smiled, nuzzling up to him. He wrapped his arm around her waist and they walked past the busy late night café.

Rowan's iPad chimed with a notification and it was just a few more souls, until she came upon one similar name and she froze. Crowley turned to her, narrowing his eyes at her worried expression. "Rowan?" he asked and she couldn't quite get the words out.

She had received another message from Bjarni and she had to check it right away so it would explain why that similar name was on her Underworld app.

 _Just thought you should know that your friend Veronica Rhodes from Maple City College is here. Dead, obviously. We haven't told her about you._

That didn't say much, but it was enough to confirm that her friend Veronica really was in the Underworld. Crowley had read over her shoulder and watched as she typed in her reply, which was about two hours late.

 _How is she? I'm sorry I didn't read this sooner. I'm on my way._

Rowan turned to Crowley and he only gave her a slight smile, looking at those sad and worried eyes. She didn't want to ask if he was alright with abandoning their vacation so she could see her friend, but it seemed he knew that's what she wanted and, like a gentleman, he wasn't going to deny her.

Just like they had teleported out of the hotel room to the streets of Prague, they teleported back to the entrance of the Underworld where souls were seated, waiting to be sorted. They were in the back, in front of the portal that the reapers used and Rowan saw Bjarni who had apparently just read the message, looking up, surprised.

They walked around the rows of chairs to the front where Gadreel and her Draugar were entering information into her app, looking busy, waiting for her.

Beside Bjarni was Veronica, looking exactly the same as the last time Rowan had seen her. Veronica's eyes opened wide and she gave a smile, but then looked at Rowan's dress and her smile turned into a smirk.

"Damn, you look good. Did you die too?" she asked, tilting her head. Rowan took her hands and held them tightly. Veronica was suspicious that there was bad news to be shared and Rowan gave her a friendly smile.

"You remember how everyone said I was weird? Remember that night with the giant snake?" Rowan asked and Veronica's face seemed pale, although being dead made her pale already.

"How can I forget?" she asked, wanting to look away, but finding that she was unable to look away from Rowan's powerful stare. "You seem so different." She added, staring into Rowan's eyes as if the answer would be there.

"I was always different, but when I left, I discovered myself." Rowan replied and gave a warm smile. "Let's talk somewhere more comfortable." She added and they walked over to the escalator going down the Helheim. Rowan glanced over her shoulder at Crowley as Veronica descended first. There was a small, slightly apologetic, smile on her beautiful face. Crowley gave her a half grin and turned to her Draugar, asking about the souls recently sent to Hell, happy to hear he got a few more.

As Rowan and Veronica got to the lobby, Rowan watched her friend gaze at everything in awe, especially the design on the floor.

"That's a little morbid." She said and when she looked up at Rowan, her little smile fell. "In a cool way." She quickly added, as if she was already beginning to understand that her friend had something to do with death. Rowan gestured to the office ahead and once they were inside, she closed the door.

Veronica looked at the name plates on the desks, especially the one on Rowan's desk, to the closest right, just beside the door. When she turned around, declining to sit down, she seemed a little nervous.

"I know it's confusing, but believe me when I tell you that you're safe." Rowan said and Veronica looked up with confusion on her face.

"Really? You're worried about my safety? You think I'm afraid of you or something?" she asked, not to be mean, but to say that they were still friends. "I know I was a little unsure about you when you were talking to that damned snake in a strange language, but I know you won't hurt me." she added and leaned on Agmundr's desk. Rowan smiled, remaining silent for a moment and Veronica gave her a slight grin. "Gonna tell me who you are?" she asked and Rowan let out a soft laugh, leaning on her own desk.

She took her name plate and showed it to her friend.

"I'm the Goddess Hel, Ruler of Helheim, Queen of the Underworld." Rowan said, putting her name plate back on her desk. Veronica seemed hesitant, but then smiled, balling her hands into fists like she was at a football game, not that Veronica was ever into watching guys tackle each other for some stupid ball.

"That's so cool." She said, slightly surprising Rowan. "You so look the part. Oh, if those Maple City bitches could see you now." she added and Rowan let out a laugh, shaking her head. "Like the thought hasn't crossed your mind." Veronica added and Rowan looked at her with a smirk.

Rowan contemplated it; the students at Maple City and her previous college had tried to take advantage of her and made her feel like a freak. All that time, she thought they were spreading rumors about her, but it had been true. Still, they treated her like some weirdo.

Did she want to visit them and scare them?

"No." Rowan replied and Veronica stared at her as if she was passing up a wonderful opportunity. "That would suggest they hold some significance in my life." She added and Veronica's lips curled into a large grin.

"Damn, I like this new you!" she added, jumping up and stretching out her arms for a hug. Veronica rarely hugged, so Rowan smiled and hugged her back, as best as she could since Veronica wasn't corporal. Then, Veronica seemed to notice too; she pulled back, looking a little disappointed, but tried to hide it with a smile. "Oh, can you do me a huge favor?" she asked, looking a little nervous.

"Like what?" Rowan asked, curious.

"I doubt anyone knows I'm dead. I got hit from behind and the driver took off. My car rolled into the ditch, which is so deep and covered by bush and trees. I think my body is still there and I don't want it rotting for weeks and attracting wildlife." Veronica said and Rowan gave her a slight smile.

She had an idea and was certain that Veronica would jump at the opportunity.

"I can do one better." Rowan said, making Veronica stare at her in silence with a mixture of curiosity and confusion. "How would you like to work with me?" she asked and Veronica's eyes lit up as they widened with shock.

"What? Seriously?" she asked and Rowan flicked her hand, conjuring her chair to roll out from behind her desk. She gestured to Veronica to sit and smiled as her friend obeyed, too stunned to argue.

"Those you met out there, Bjarni –" Rowan began and Veronica smiled.

"Yeah, that little teen's cool. And those three guys are hot." She replied, giving Rowan a little wink. She had to fight a smile because if she didn't, she'd also laugh.

"Bjarni, Agmundr –" Rowan began and Veronica cut in,

"The black guy?" she asked and Rowan nodded.

"And the other, tattoo guy, is Raganhar." Rowan replied, not forgetting Gadreel. "The other one, strongly silent, is Gadreel. He's an angel." she concluded and Veronica nodded with a smile that said she really found the guys attractive.

"You can say that again." she said and Rowan shook her head.

"No, he really is an angel. And the other three, are my Draugar. They were turned into demons and when I came back, they were loyal to me once again. They're slowly reverting from demon to human Draugar." Rowan said and Veronica looked at her as if she couldn't comprehend any of that.

"What's a drogar?" she asked and Rowan smiled sweetly at her.

"Draugar, the plural form of draugr; as Goddess of Helheim, I was able to create _again-walkers_. I gave some souls the ability to have their soul remain attached to their bodies so they could walk both realms with me; realms of the living and of the dead, as my servants. I prefer calling them my guards, even if they're more like friends to me." Rowan said and Veronica nodded, listening to every word.

"Like zombies?" she asked and Rowan fought another smile.

"Not quite. My Draugar looked alive and well. They just couldn't stay amongst the living for long periods of time. They were given power so they could help me. At the moment, my Draugar are helping me to sort the souls that come into the Underworld. They escort them to their designated level in Helheim and I was hoping to recruit more help." Rowan replied and, once again, Veronica listened attentively.

"So, are you asking me to me a _again-walker_?" she asked, not even going to try to pronounce draugr. "You know I'd be down with that." Veronica added with a wide smile.

"You'd have your body, but it would be like possessing it. It's the best way I can describe it." Rowan said and Veronica just smiled, like she didn't need to be told anymore; she was already volunteering to be a draugr. "You'd be giving up your chance to live in Helheim; serving it rather than enjoying a life in it with friends and family." She added, which was the most important part of being a draugr, especially now.

She expected Veronica to mow it over, give it some thought and realize that she wouldn't be able to spend eternity with her family in her own private little world.

"I'm totally on board." She said and Rowan wanted to trying telling her again just what she'd be giving up in exchange of taking something truly wonderful. She didn't want Veronica to think becoming a draugr was like becoming a superhero and that was like just so awesome. However, Veronica held up her hand with a confident smile. "I know, but you're my best friend. I never really had one of those and you're a Goddess, so it's so cool. If you need my help, than I'd really like to hold onto our friendship and rock the Underworld with you." She concluded, her eyes shining.

It was hard to convince Veronica to think carefully about that. Rowan knew that her friend did whatever she felt like doing, never giving it much thought and never regretting a thing.

"Alright." Rowan said, which excited Veronica. She summoned a small dagger and cut into her palm, and then Veronica's, sharing blood so the conversion could b made. Rowan then took her friend's hands and focused on making her a draugr. As she was channeling her power, her memories of making Bjarni, Agmundr, Raganhar, Magni (who later became Azazel) and Sigrid (who later became Lilith) into her Draugar flooded back like it was yesterday. She remembered how to make them into _again-walkers_.

And it also helps that the blood of Hel holds the key to be _again-walkers_.

Her aura of power was glowing, casting her ghostly astral self where it seemed to flow over Veronica like fog. If her friend was horrified, she hid it very well. Her eyes continued to shine, reflecting Rowan's glowing eyes, up until she closed her eyes, feeling her body returning, wrapping around her soul. Then, the fog reached into her soul and began giving it a sort of upgrade, giving Veronica the ability to walk amongst the souls with power and the living without the restraints of the human soul.

Rowan could see the change; that was what her Draugar had been before they were tortured and demonized. That was what they were slowly reverting to.

When Veronica opened her eyes, they glowed, much like Rowan's, but the light dimmed and the process was done.

Veronica was a draugr.


End file.
